Heartbreaking Bodycam Footage Emerges in Fatal Stabbing Case
A young man’s final moments have sparked widespread outrage following the release of disturbing bodycam footage. Henry Nowak, aged just 18, died after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in December 2025. The footage captures the distressing circumstances of his death, raising serious questions about the actions of responding officers.
Officers’ Response Under Scrutiny
The bodycam footage shows police officers approaching Digwa, who claimed he had been racially abused by Nowak. Despite repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe, Nowak was handcuffed and had his rights read to him. He died shortly thereafter.
During a broadcast discussing the incident, Times Radio presenter Stig Abel ed profound distress over the events. “They’re the last words that Henry Nowak heard in this world before he died,” Abel stated, reflecting on the audio from the scene. He described the footage as heartbreaking and noted that the situation did not appear to be a chaotic or frenzied encounter.
Abel criticized the police’s handling of the situation, suggesting a more neutral approach was warranted. “If they had approached it neutrally, they would have said, ‘You’re making that claim, you’re saying you’ve been stabbed. You stand over there, we’re going to check that you’ve been stabbed,’” he explained. “He’s been stabbed five times and they didn’t believe him.” Abel emphasized that a neutral assessment of the scene should have acknowledged both claims made by the individuals involved.
Presenter’s Emotional Reaction
Fellow presenter Kate McCann became visibly emotional while discussing the audio. “I find that really upsetting to listen to in audio because you can hear him. Sorry, you can hear him – he can’t breathe. You can hear him saying ‘I can’t breathe’,” McCann said, fighting back tears. She spoke of the personal anguish of imagining such a scenario happening to her own child.
“The quotes from the dad absolutely break your heart,” Abel remarked. McCann, wiping away tears, added, “However you look at it, you can’t deny that that’s an 18-year-old boy who is clearly in difficulty and exactly as you said, the scene is not complicated or fraught, but for that to be the last thing that you hear, I think that’s unforgivable.”
Adding to the distress, it has been reported that some officers involved were permitted to resign before a full investigation could be conducted.
Father Calls for Justice
Speaking outside Southampton Crown Court on Monday, Henry’s father, Mark, described the manner of his son’s death as “inhumane and degrading.” He stated that the police’s actions meant his son “did not die with dignity.” Mark Nowak has called for a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation into how the police handled the circumstances surrounding his son’s murder.
“Our family should not have to fight for the truth,” he concluded.
