Police officers took eight minutes to discover the fatal stab wound that killed 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, according to newly disclosed evidence from body-worn camera footage. The delay in identifying the critical injury occurred as officers, initially misled by the perpetrator's false narrative, attempted to save Nowak's life on a Southampton street.

This revelation comes after Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life for Nowak's murder. The bodycam footage, which sparked national outrage and subsequent violent disorder in Southampton, has been further analyzed through a transcript exclusively released to the BBC. The family of Henry Nowak, who were from Chafford Hundred in Essex, did not object to the release of this transcript.

The transcript details the confusion and panic of the attending officers as they struggled to comprehend the situation. Digwa, the assailant, is heard repeatedly lying to police, claiming he was racially attacked by Nowak. This false account initially led officers to disbelieve Nowak's own insistent pleas that he had been stabbed.

Timings from the transcript indicate it took officers eight minutes from their arrival on the scene to discover the stab wound in Nowak's chest. Efforts to save his life continued for another 51 minutes, but an emergency doctor, flown in by helicopter, eventually pronounced him dead at 00:37 on December 4, 2025.

During Digwa's sentencing, Judge William Mousley KC acknowledged the attending officers' difficult circumstances. He noted the "genuine shock" of one officer upon realizing he had been performing CPR on Nowak while the student had a serious chest wound, suggesting the officer was "doing his best in a very difficult situation." The judge also recognized that officers can be deceived by individuals feigning injury to gain release.

Evidence presented during Digwa's trial highlighted the severity of the chest wound, estimated to be 8cm deep, which caused extensive internal bleeding. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stated that a pathologist confirmed at the trial that "nothing officers could have done that day to save Henry" due to the nature of the wound.

The force has issued an apology to Henry Nowak's family for the treatment he received at the scene. Chief Constable Alexis Boon described the footage as "a tragedy, an absolute tragedy" and expressed deep sympathy for the family, stating, "It's very difficult to watch."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently investigating the actions of the officers involved in the incident.