What happened to Henry Nowak and why has his murder caused outcry?

As young student Henry Nowak was handcuffed and dying on the ground after being stabbed, his killer, Vickrum Digwa, told police officers who arrived at the scene that he was the victim of a racist attack.

But that was a “bad lie,” according to a hearing Monday.

Digwa had carried out a horrific knife attack on Mr Nowak, which left the 21-year-old using a large ceremonial knife he carried as part of his Sikh religion, leaving him with two stab wounds to the back of his legs and a fatal wound to his heart.

Moments before starting the violence, Digwa told Mr. Nowak: “I’m a bad man.”

At Southampton Crown Court, where Digwa was sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering the finance student, Judge WIlliam Mousley KC said: “You have brought shame to your family, your community and your religion.”

The case has sparked racial tensions and outside court Mr Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, called on the government to treat knife crime as a “national emergency”.

What happened in the case?

Mr Nowak was walking home after a night out with the football team when he encountered Digwa at Belmont Road in Southampton on December 3 last year.

The court heard the student sent Snapchat videos to friends and saw Digwa carrying a large knife in a sheath that was clearly displayed on his clothing.

In the video shot by Henry, Digwa can be heard saying “I’m a bad man” before the footage cuts out.

The court heard Henry was fatally stabbed before hearing he tried to climb over the fence to escape, leaving a trail of blood in the street.

When police arrived at the scene, officers handcuffed Mr. Nowak after Digwa said he had been the subject of a racist attack from Mr. Nowak, even though the student said he had been stabbed.

Giving evidence in court, Digwa claimed he was racially abused and attacked and that he stabbed Mr Nowak in the back of the legs in self-defence, then unintentionally inflicted a fatal stab wound in his chest. However, the jury found him guilty of murder.

What does the body camera footage show?

Bodycam footage shows a police officer arriving at the scene and then asking, “What’s your name, man?” It shows you asking. Before Mr. Nowak, who was lying on his back on the floor, replied softly: “Henry.”

Digwa is then seen entering the frame claiming to have removed Mr Nowak’s turban and grabbing her by the hair.

The officer asked Digwa: “Are you injured?” To which Digwa replied: “Yes, yes, my eye is swollen here, I have a small bruise here.”

The officers then turned to Mr. Nowak; The man was heard grunting and repeating “I’ve been stabbed” and then “I can’t breathe” as he was made to sit upright to be handcuffed.

The police officer said, “You were stabbed, where is it?” he can be heard asking. before adding: “Don’t think so, mate.”

While being handcuffed, Mr. Nowak said “I can’t breathe” three more times.

“He says he’s been stabbed, so let’s check it out,” the police officer is heard saying, and Mr Nowak appears to briefly lift his shirt around his waistband area before he is left lying on his side.

A female officer was then heard asking: “Where do you think he was stabbed? In the face?” to which a male voice replied: “He wasn’t stabbed.”

Mr Nowak, who appeared unresponsive, was later told he was being arrested for assault. “I think he’s going to be sick,” the officer said.

What did the police say?

Following the case, a senior officer from Hampshire Police apologized on behalf of the officers who handcuffed Mr Nowak. The officers’ actions are currently under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Interim Deputy Police Chief Robert France said his officers were “lied to” and may have been unaware of Mr. Nowak’s injury, which would not have been obvious.

He said: “This is an absolutely tragic incident and I certainly sympathize with Henry’s family, friends and loved ones. I want to apologize, I want to say I’m sorry Henry couldn’t be saved that night. I’m sorry he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness.”

“It’s pretty clear that the officers didn’t immediately understand what was happening, and that’s one of the contexts that I would ask people to understand. “There was a delay in those who ultimately chose to call them.

“There were lies, Henry’s killer was lying in the 999 phone call, and when the cops arrived at the scene his killer was lying even more. “Although Henry told the cops he had been stabbed, it took them a few minutes to realize what had really happened.

“But three minutes after meeting Henry, they were giving him first aid. They had the handcuffs off and were giving him first aid.”

What did Mr. Nowak’s family say?

Mr Nowak’s family have hit out at the “shocking” police treatment of their son and called for urgent action to address the “national emergency” over knife crime – but also called for his death not to be used to create further visions, hatred or tensions.

The family also said people should not be out in public with a 21cm knife.

Speaking on the steps outside the court, Mark Nowak said: “We call on the government to treat knife crime as a national emergency. We need real solutions. We need investment in prevention. We need stronger action on the sale, ownership and handling of all knives.”

“And as this case painfully shows, we need common sense applied to our laws. This does not mean knee-jerk reactions. This does not mean going to extremes. This simply means a common-sense approach to law and order.

“As the prosecution’s RoC summarized in court, this is not a case about Sikhism. This is not a case about racism. This is a murder case.”

What was the political reaction?

On Monday night, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to the case, saying it was “right” for the IOPC to investigate police officers’ response to the stabbing.

She said on social media: “This is a terrible, shocking case. Henry’s loved ones have endured the trauma of a long trial and endured Henry’s killer making horrific allegations about their thoughtful, kind and deeply loved son.”

“It is true that the IOPC is investigating the police response to this senseless murder. And we must end the cycle of tragedy by tackling the horrors of knife crime.”

On Tuesday morning, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would write to the Attorney-General to ask for a longer sentence for Digwa and said the public should respond with “pure cold anger” at the police treatment of Mr Nowak.

He said: “Henry’s family responded to this with the most extraordinary dignity. But I propose that the rest of us respond with pure cold anger. This is wrong. All the values ​​and standards of living in a free country, where everyone is judged equally before the law, have been thrown out.”

What was the reaction of the Sikh community?

Following the case, the UK Sikh Federation said the case was “not about Sikhism or racism, but about the unlawful killing of Henry Nowak”.

The organization also said it would raise awareness of the law and guidance regarding the carrying of ceremonial kirpan blades.

The statement said: “Now that the hearing is over, we want to make it clear that the law only provides a defense under the law for practicing Sikhs to wear the kirpan for religious reasons.

“If a kirpan or a bladed object is used aggressively in an act of violence, the defense under the law for the kirpan does not apply and is considered an offensive weapon.