Police officers took eight minutes to discover Henry Nowak’s stab wound, evidence shows

Police officers who arrested Henry Nowak took about eight minutes to discover his stab wound, newly released evidence shows. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for Nowak’s murder after falsely claiming the 18-year-old had racially abused him in Southampton. Nowak was stabbed multiple times while walking back to his student accommodation alone after a night out. A three-minute police body-worn video was released showing Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, being placed in handcuffs moments before he became unconscious and subsequently died in December 2025. The footage led to violent protests in the city. A longer transcript of the footage released by the Crown Prosecution Service, obtained by the BBC, reveals the moment that officers realised Nowak had been stabbed. In the footage from the incident, 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 the student’s pupils are not reacting before the video ends. In the transcript an officer identified as police officer one said: “I’m not sure he’s breathing.” They uncuff Nowak and start CPR. Police officer one then says: “Come on mate. That’s it, that’s it. Keeping breathing. …