New footage exposes Henry Nowak killer’s ‘racially attacked’ lie

The fatally stabbed UK student was treated as the suspect after his murderer misled police

Newly released police footage shows the man convicted of murdering British student Henry Nowak repeatedly telling officers he had been the victim of a racist attack – claims a judge later ruled were entirely false. The recording comes weeks after bodycam video showing police handcuffing the dying 18-year-old sparked nationwide outrage over the officers’ response. 

Nowak was stabbed to death in Southampton last December after being confronted by Vickrum Singh Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh from the city. Digwa was convicted of murder last month and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years after the court rejected his account of the attack. 

Published by the Crown Prosecution Service for the first time on Friday, the recording captures Digwa giving officers the account he maintained after the stabbing. He is heard repeatedly claiming that he had been “racially attacked,” alleging the student had pulled off his turban while never telling officers he had stabbed him. He continued making those claims as officers arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder. Unlike Nowak, Digwa was not restrained. 

The killer of student Henry Nowak was never handcuffed by police, newly released video shows