A murder case in Southampton, England has sparked outrage after police officers handcuffed a fatally wounded teenager while the man who stabbed him falsely claimed to be the victim of racist abuse. Authorities are now facing an investigation into their response following the conviction of the suspect for the muder of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak.
Prosecutors told Southampton Crown Court that Vickrum Digwa, 23, stabbed Nowak multiple times during analtercation in December 2025. When officers arrived at the scene, Digwa allegedly accused the injured student of racial abuse and claimed he had acted in self-defence.
Police initially believed the account and placed Nowak in handcuffs moments before he collapsed from his injuries, perBBC.
The case has drawn criticism because officers reportedly failed to immediately recognise that Nowak had suffered life-threatening stab wounds. Hampshire Police later apologised for the incident, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into the officers' actions.
Speaking to BBC, interim Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said of the incident, 'It is a tragedy that officers did not immediately understand what had happened to Henry. I am sorry that he had been handcuffed and arrested as he lost consciousness.'
France added he intended to make the investigation transparent. 'I don't want to hide the facts. I want people to understand the full facts.' He also indicated that the officers who performed emergency CPR on the victim were the same ones who were involved in the arrest, emphasising the apparent impact the event has had on them.
According to court proceedings, Digwa denied stabbing Nowak when police first questioned him. Prosecutors described his allegations of racism as a deliberate attempt to shift blame and confuse responding officers.
During the trial, Digwa's defense argued that he carried the knife because of his Sikh faith. The court heard he wore a smaller ceremonial kirpan beneath his clothing but was also carrying a larger blade that prosecutors argued exceeded what is typically associated with Sikh religious practice, perThe Guardian.
Under UK law, Sikhs are permitted to carry a kirpan for religious reasons. However, prosecutors emphasised that the legal protection does not apply when a bladed weapon is used violently. Sikh organisations also distanced the religion from the attack, stressing that the weapon involved was not representative of the traditional ceremonial item carried peacefully by practicing Sikhs.
Evidence presented during the trial suggested Digwa had a fascination with weapons. Prosecutors said he kept numerous weapons in his bedroom and described the murder weapon in admiring terms. Video footage shown in court also reportedly captured Digwa saying, "I am a bad man,' shortly before the stabbing occurred, according to reporting bySky News.
Source: International Business Times UK
