'He died without dignity': Family of student arrested as he lay dying demand investigation into police actions as killer jailed for life
Henry Nowak's dad has called for a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation into the police handling of his son’s murder.
A Sikh man has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years for the murder of a university student whom he falsely claimed had racially abused him after he had fatally stabbed him with a ceremonial knife.
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Henry Nowak was handcuffed by police in the minutes before his death, after Vickrum Digwa lied and claimed he had called him a “p****” and knocked his turban off.
Henry, who had been stabbed four times with an 8in ceremonial knife, was arrested despite pleading with police that he could not breathe.
Digwa was found guilty of murdering Henry, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, in Belmont Road, Southampton, on December 3 2025. The 23-year-old was also convicted of carrying a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade in a public place.
Henry’s dad, Mark Nowak, has called for a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation into the police handling of his son’s murder, adding: “Our family should not have to fight for the truth”.
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Speaking outside the court, Mr Nowak said: “Henry's life was taken from him unlawfully, violently and without justification.”
“Henry was 18 years old. He was kind, ambitious, loved and full of promise,” he said. “He had his whole life ahead of him, a degree to finish, places to see and a future to build.
“That future was stolen from him, and no verdict or sentence will ever give it back.
“Henry did nothing wrong. He was one of the kindest, friendliest and most inclusive people you could ever hope to meet. He was amazing in every way."
He slammed the response of the police, who did not believe Henry had been stabbed and put him in handcuffs instead.
Mr Nowak said: "Instead of being treated as a dying victim, police formally arrested Henry for assault and read him his rights. That was the last thing he heard.
"Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him."
Mr Nowak called on the Home Secretary to ensure a full investigation is carried out, and thanked the police who worked on the murder case.
He also called for Henry's "heartbreaking" story to make a change for the better.
"We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension," he said. "We want his story to make our streets safer for everyone.
"That is why we are calling on the government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is.
"We need real solutions. We need investment in prevention. We need stronger action on the sale, the ownership and carrying of all knives.
"And as this case so painfully demonstrates, we need common sense applied to our laws.
"This doesn't mean knee-jerk reactions, this doesn't mean going to extremes. It just means a common-sense approach to law and order."
He continued: "As the KC for the prosecution summed up, this is not a case about Sikhism. This is not a case about racism. This is a case about murder.
"People should not be able to walk openly through the streets of Brighton carrying a 21cm blade.
"As a family, we will not let this go. No other family should experience the heartbreak and horror of losing a child to knife crime.
"Finally, I want Henry to know, wherever he is, we are so proud of him and we love him beyond words."
Giving evidence, Digwa told the court that Henry, whom he described as drunk, had racially abused him before punching him and knocking his turban off.
He said that he had stabbed the victim in the back of his legs in self-defence after he had threatened him and grabbed him by the hair, but said he had not realised at the time that he had caused the fatal stab wound to his chest.
But the prosecution said that Digwa had told a “wicked lie” to police who attended the scene by telling them that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
He also “lied” by telling officers that he had not stabbed Henry despite the student’s pleas for help, as he told the police that he was injured.
This led the officers to arrest Henry and put him in handcuffs moments before he collapsed and became unconscious, dying despite their efforts to give him first aid.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk posted on X an offer to fund a private prosecution against the police, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the circumstances of the incident.
Judge William Mousley KC said Henry had been “defenceless” when he was killed.
He said Digwa had shown a “callous disregard” for Henry after stabbing him by filming him as he lay dying on the ground.