THIS is the shocking moment a dying teenager desperately pleaded with cops to help him as he was handcuffed despite being stabbed by his attacker who used the “racism card”.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, had knifed in a random street attack as the teen made his way home from a night out.
Police arrested Henry Nowak despite him having just been stabbed by Vickrum Digwa Credit: Solent
Shocking video footage from police body-worn cameras shows Digwa talking to cops claiming he was attacked Credit: PA
Now, newly released bodycam footage shows a cop telling Henry “I don’t think you have, mate” when he claims to have been stabbed – with the teenager dying an hour after the video.
The video begins as arrive at the scene with Digwa’s father holding Henry upright as he is slumped against a house.
Digwa, who was today sentenced to 21 years in , can be seen telling police that his victim had not been stabbed as he lay dying.
The thug – who called the officers alleging he had been the victim of a racist assault – was seen telling cops that he has been injured and points to his eye.
The murderer is seen in the video without his turban on and tells police it is because Henry tore it off in a violent attack.
Despite acknowledging that Henry had blood on him and the student telling them five times that he had been stabbed, officers tell him “I don’t think you have” and proceed to arrest him.
Officer pull Henry along the ground and place him in handcuffs as he pleads with them to call an ambulance.
Henry tells the arresting officers that he cannot breathe no fewer than seven times as officers demand he put his hands in the cuffs and moments later the teenager falls unconscious.
Digwa, 23, claiming that Henry had attacked him on bodycam footage Credit: PA
He killed Henry Nowak with an eight-inch knife Credit: PA
Henry’s last moments were captured on CCTV Credit: Solent
Henry’s dad Mark blasted the police for arresting his dying son
Judge William Mousley KC dismissed the claims made by Digwa, adding that his actions had “stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their safety”.
The court heard that Henry had died from drowning in his own blood shortly after police arrested him for the “wicked lie” that he had perpetrated the attack.
Digwa repeatedly stabbed Henry with a Kirpan – a small, curved ceremonial blade that practising Sikhs are required to wear at all times.
In the UK, Sikhs are legally permitted to carry a Kirpan in public as it is protected under religious exemption laws.
However, Digwa was found to have a small Kirpan around his neck that fulfilled his religious obligation.
The “Shastar” blade he carried on him was much larger – around 21cm, the court heard.
Sentencing Digwa, Judge Mousley KC said: “In addition to killing Henry and the irreparable harm to those close to him, you have also caused real suffering to others who knew him.
“You have brought shame upon your family, your community and your .
The student was making his way home from a night out with pals
The police have apologised to Henry’s family
“Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their own safety even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong.”
Following Thursday’s verdict, the UK Sikh Federation said in a statement: “Fully practising Sikhs who wear a Kirpan should continue to recognise the serious responsibility that accompanies it, together with the limited legal protection that exists for wearing it for genuine religious purposes.”
The federation said it believed the large blade used by Digwa “was not the normal Kirpan worn by fully practising Sikhs”.
“That’s what we wanted to clarify – that actually the perpetrator used an item which can only be called an offensive weapon,” it added.
Henry's dad slams 'shocking' police treatment
Speaking outside Southampton Crown Court, Henry Nowak’s father Mark said “justice in the eyes of the law has been served but justice alone is not enough” after his son’s killer was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years.
“We are calling on the Government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is,” he said.
He said the family would “carry this grief every single day for the rest of our lives”, adding: “Today Henry was believed. The truth was recognised.”
Mr Nowak continued: “Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.
“Let me be absolutely clear – we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100% responsible for the brutal murder of our son. But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading.
“His murderer, however, was afforded decency. He was believed. He was not handcuffed when arrested. He was not handcuffed when transported to the police station.
“As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all.
“And, as Vickrum Digwa himself told the court, while under arrest for Henry’s murder, police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. The contrast is unbearable.”
Mr Nowak described the police treatment of his son as “shocking” and added: “The IOPC investigation remains ongoing. While we await its final report, we are calling on the Home Secretary to ensure that the IOPC has the resources, authority and independence it needs to conduct a full, fearless and transparent investigation.
“Our family should not have to fight for the truth anymore.”
A leading figure in the UK Sikh federation added: “There just hasn’t been any incident like this but, nonetheless, there is something for the community to do, to make sure every fully-practising Sikh that wears a Kirpan understands the and understands that if you use your Kirpan offensively, it ceases to be a Kirpan.
“It becomes an offensive weapon, it’s simple as that.”
In a moving victim impact statement, Henry’s mum Lucy Ross described the pain of his death as being “beyond anything I knew existed”.
She added: “Our family will never be the same. We’re trying to find a way to live with this as our new normal. But nothing about it feels normal.”
Henry’s dad Mark told how he would be haunted forever by his son’s murder.
He broke down in tears as he continued: “As a father, it is my job to protect my child and I failed to keep him safe.
“I was not there when he needed me most. The thought of him lying in the road, scared, bleeding to death will haunt me forever.”
Mark also branded the way his son was treated as “degrading” and “inhumane” as he added: “Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved.
“He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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