Police have released bodycam footage showing officers handcuffing 18-year-old Henry Nowak as he lay dying. The BBC has chosen to remove the sound in parts of this video due to its distressing content.
The footage from December showed his killer, Vickrum Digwa, claim he was racially abused by the teen and acted in self defence, which was a lie. He told officers his turban had been knocked off and said he had been injured.
Police say they liaised with Henry Nowak’s family before sharing the footage. It was also played in court.
Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years on Monday. He used a 21cm (8in) blade he said he carried as part of his Sikh faith to kill Nowak, who was walking home alone after a night out with friends in Southampton on 3 December. A judge dismissed racism claims made by Digwa.
Speaking outside court, the victim’s father, Mark Nowak, said the contrast between how his son and Digwa had been treated was “unbearable”.
“Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody,” he said, calling it “inhumane and degrading”. He added Digwa “was afforded decency” and “we understand, he was never handcuffed at all”.
“Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him,” he said.
