Police who handcuffed Henry Nowak took eight minutes to find fatal stab wound, new evidence shows
The 18-year-old's murder drew worldwide attention and sparked scenes of violent protests in Southampton earlier this month
Police officers who handcuffed Henry Nowak in his final moments took roughly eight minutes to discover his fatal knife wound, new evidence has revealed.
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The 18-year-old died after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, after he walked home from a night out in Southampton in December last year.
Digwa falsely claimed Mr Nowak had racially abused him, and anger erupted after a three-minute police body-worn video was released showing the teen being placed in handcuffs moments before he became unconscious and subsequently died.
A longer transcript of the footage newly released by the Crown Prosecution Service reveals the moment officers realised Mr Nowak had been stabbed.
Read more: Killer of Henry Nowak to have 21-year sentence reviewed for being ‘too lenient’
In body-worn camera footage from the incident, Mr Nowak can be heard repeatedly saying: "I’ve been stabbed," to which an officer replies: "You’ve been stabbed? Whereabouts? Don’t think you have, mate."
The officer later says "he’s saying he’s been stabbed so let’s just check him and see", and a female police officer calls for an ambulance, describing how Mr Nowak’s pupils are not reacting before the video ends.
In the transcript, at three minutes and five seconds, an officer identified as police officer one said: "I'm not sure he’s breathing."
They proceed to uncuff Mr Nowak and start CPR.
In the transcript, police officer one said: "Come on mate. That’s it, that’s it. Keeping breathing. Come on."
According to the time-stamps, between five minutes and 24 seconds and seven minutes and 33 seconds, a female police officer asks for a torch, wanting to make sure Mr Nowak has not been stabbed, and asks for scissors.
After seven minutes and 33 seconds, the officer cuts his clothing and police officer one asks if he has been stabbed there, with an unseen gesture.
The female officer replies: "Yes, he’s got a stab… there's a mark there."
Police officer one adds: "That makes it worse. He's got a stab, I'm pushing on a f****** stab wound."
The female officer says: "That’s okay. It’s fine, it's not coming out. It’s fine. Keep going. Keep going, it's not bleeding out."
Police officer one continues chest compressions and then a paramedic arrives on the scene and tells him "we just discovered a stab wound in his chest".
The recording ends after eight minutes and 49 seconds.
'Absolutely tragic case'
It was released with no objection from Mr Nowak’s family, and after consultation with Hampshire Police.
Following the case, temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France, of Hampshire Constabulary, apologised on behalf of the officers, but said they were "lied to" and would have been unaware of Mr Nowak’s injury which he said would not have been obvious.
Mr France said: "This is an absolutely tragic case, and my sympathies are absolutely with Henry’s family, his friends, and his loved ones.
"I want to apologise, I want to say that I am sorry that Henry couldn’t be saved that night.
'I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating Hampshire Police’s response in Mr Nowak’s case.
Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. The case sparked nationwide outrage and led to violent protests in Southampton.
His mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene.