The final moments of murdered university student Henry Nowak have shocked Britain, prompting fresh questions about police conduct, knife crime, and whether a dying teenager’s desperate pleas for help were ignored.
Bodycam footage released following the conviction of Henry’s killer shows the 18-year-old repeatedly telling officers, “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe” as he lay gravely wounded on a Southampton driveway. Despite those pleas, Henry was handcuffed and arrested after officers were told he had allegedly been involved in an assault.
The distressing footage has drawn comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the United States because of Henry’s repeated cries that he could not breathe. However, the circumstances of the two cases are different. What has united public reaction is the haunting image of a young man pleading for help in his final moments.
For Henry’s family, the video has reopened wounds that will never truly heal.
A Young Life Cut Short
Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old university student from Essex, was stabbed to death in Southampton in December 2025.
Last week, Southampton Crown Court sentenced Vickrum Digwa, 23, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for Henry’s murder. The court heard that Digwa stabbed Henry four times with a large bladed weapon he carried.
During sentencing, Judge William Mousley KC rejected claims that Henry had racially abused Digwa before the attack.
The judge said he was sure Henry had said nothing racist and described such allegations as being “completely at odds with his previous character.” He also told Digwa that he had “brought shame upon your family, your community and your religion.”
The judge further warned that Digwa’s actions had stirred racial tensions and caused concern among many law-abiding Sikhs across the country, despite the Sikh community having no responsibility for the actions of one individual.
The Southampton Gurdwara issued a statement condemning Digwa’s actions as being entirely contrary to Sikh teachings and values, while also praising the dignity and restraint shown by Henry’s family throughout the case.
The Heartbreaking Video
The release of police bodycam footage has become one of the most controversial aspects of the case.
The video shows Henry lying on a gravel driveway, visibly distressed and struggling to breathe.
“I’ve been stabbed,” he tells officers.
“I can’t breathe.”
The words are repeated again and again.
Despite informing officers that he had been stabbed, Henry was handcuffed while police attempted to establish what had happened. At one point, an officer responded: “I don’t think you have, mate.”
Only later did officers recognise the severity of his condition. By then, Henry’s injuries were catastrophic.
For many who have watched the footage, the scenes are deeply upsetting. For Henry’s family, they are unbearable.
His father, Mark Nowak, said he is tormented by thoughts of his son bleeding to death while in handcuffs. Speaking after sentencing, he said Henry should never have died in such circumstances and should have been treated as a victim rather than a suspect.
Family’s Anguish
The emotional statements delivered by Henry’s family in court painted a devastating picture of a young man whose future was stolen.
His sister, Olivia, described Henry as her best friend and said a part of her died when he died.
“The day we got the knock on the door to say my brother had passed, I don’t think there are any words to describe that type of pain,” she said.
She remembered Henry as funny, intelligent, ambitious and kind, adding that he lit up every room he entered.
Henry’s mother, Lucy Ross, described the unimaginable agony of being told her son had died. She said he had been the first grandchild in the family to attend university and had made everyone proud.
“There will always be a hole in our hearts that can never be repaired,” she said.
His stepmother, Katie Woodcock, recalled finding one of the family’s younger children curled up alone on the stairs after learning of Henry’s death. She also spoke of the heartbreak of clearing out Henry’s university room and finding his Advent calendar with only the first three doors opened.
Questions for Police
The conduct of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The force has already apologised for Henry being arrested and handcuffed while fatally injured.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France publicly expressed regret over the officers’ actions.
However, Henry’s family say they are still waiting for answers.
In a powerful statement following the trial, they called on the Home Secretary to ensure the police watchdog has the resources, authority and independence necessary to conduct what they described as a full, fearless and transparent investigation.
“Our family should not have to fight for the truth anymore,” they said.
The family have also expressed concern that some officers involved in the incident remained in service while the investigation continues.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was right that the IOPC was investigating the police response and described the case as an awful tragedy.
Reignited debate over long-standing legal exemption
The case has also reignited debate over the long-standing legal exemption that allows practising Sikhs to carry a kirpan, a ceremonial blade that is an article of faith.
While Sikh organisations have strongly condemned Vickrum Digwa’s actions and stressed that the overwhelming majority of Sikhs carry kirpans responsibly and peacefully, questions are now being asked about whether current laws provide sufficient safeguards.
Critics argue that carrying any large bladed weapon in public carries inherent risks, regardless of religious justification, and have called for a review of permitted blade sizes and enforcement. Supporters of the exemption counter that the kirpan is a deeply important religious symbol and that millions of Sikhs worldwide have carried it for generations without incident.
Following Henry Nowak’s murder, pressure is mounting on ministers to examine whether the balance between religious freedom and public safety remains appropriate, particularly where larger blades are concerned.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has already called for an urgent review of the rules governing the carrying of bladed articles for religious and ceremonial purposes.
Beyond Politics
The case has generated fierce political debate, with questions raised about policing, race, knife crime and public confidence in law enforcement.
Yet amid the arguments, Henry’s family have consistently urged people not to use their son’s death to sow division.
Even while enduring unimaginable grief, they have repeatedly focused on remembering Henry himself — a young man who should have been enjoying university life, laughing with friends and planning his future.
As his father told the court, Henry should still be here.
Instead, Britain has been left with the haunting image of an 18-year-old desperately pleading, “I can’t breathe,” while his family continue to search for answers.
For Mark Nowak, Lucy Ross, Olivia and the rest of Henry’s loved ones, there can be no closure.
Only the lifelong burden of a loss that should never have happened.
