Police officers took about eight minutes to locate the fatal stab wound that led to the death of Henry Nowak after they apprehended the gravely injured teenager, new evidence has shown.
Disturbing footage from police body cameras captured Henry, 18, gasping for breath and informing officers about being stabbed while they were restraining him. Despite his pleas, an officer dismissed his claims initially.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was recently sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for stabbing Henry multiple times in Southampton. Digwa had misled the police by falsely alleging that he was a victim of a racially motivated assault.
A detailed transcript of the complete police body camera recording, obtained by the BBC, depicts the shock of the officer who detained Henry upon realizing the severity of his injuries.
Shortly after their arrival, officers noticed Henry lying motionless on a gravel driveway, prompting them to urgently seek medical assistance equipped with life-saving equipment and specialized first-aid training.
During attempts to provide aid, Henry’s head accidentally struck a wall as he was being moved, leading to a female officer initiating CPR before being relieved by the male officer.
As the situation escalated, a colleague requested an ambulance, describing Henry as “unconscious,” only for the male officer to correct the assessment, stating that Henry was not breathing, indicating a critical condition.
Despite efforts to resuscitate him, Henry appeared unresponsive, prompting a female officer to request assistance in checking for additional injuries, including stab wounds, before medical professionals arrived at the scene.
Finally, after several minutes of resuscitation attempts, officers discovered a stab wound in Henry’s chest, leading to the arrival of paramedics who continued life-saving measures until his eventual death.
Judge William Mousley KC acknowledged the challenging circumstances faced by the officer who had unknowingly been performing CPR on Henry, emphasizing the officer’s genuine shock upon realizing the severity of the situation.
According to the pathologist’s testimony during the trial, Henry’s fatal injuries had caused extensive internal bleeding, making it impossible for officers to save him on the day of the incident.
Following the sentencing, Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, expressed distress over the treatment of his son by the police compared to his assailant. However, he urged against using Henry’s death to fuel division or hatred.
Hampshire Police issued an apology to Henry’s family for the handling of the situation at the scene, with Chief Constable Alexis Boon describing the incident as a tragic and impactful event that deeply affected everyone involved.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating the conduct of the officers present during the incident.
