In the days following the release of shocking police bodycam footage, the family of murdered 18-year-old student Henry Nowak has broken their silence with a powerful and dignified public statement that is now reverberating across the United Kingdom.

The footage, released by Hampshire Police on 1-2 June with the family’s consent, shows the final moments of Henry’s life in devastating detail. Lying on a Southampton street, bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds, the young student repeatedly told officers “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe.” Instead of immediate medical aid, he was handcuffed based on false claims made by his attacker. The video has sparked national outrage, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitting he “felt sick” watching it as a father, and senior politicians describing the scenes as “harrowing” and “disturbing.”

Speaking outside Southampton Crown Court shortly after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder, Henry’s father Mark Nowak delivered a measured yet emotionally charged statement on behalf of the entire family.

“We hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100% responsible for the brutal murder of our son,” Mr Nowak said. “He alone is to blame for this horrific crime. But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading. Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved.”

Mark Nowak went on to reveal heartbreaking specifics from the bodycam footage that the family had reviewed. “Henry told officers that he could not breathe nine times. He told them that he had been stabbed four times.” He highlighted the painful contrast in how his son and the attacker were handled at the scene, calling the difference “unbearable.”

The family’s statement, delivered with visible composure alongside Henry’s mother Lucy Ross and sister Olivia, balanced grief with a clear call for accountability. While expressing “heartfelt gratitude” to the murder investigation team that secured a conviction, they demanded a “full, fearless and transparent investigation” into the police response. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has already launched an inquiry, and one officer involved has reportedly resigned.

Henry Nowak, a first-year finance and accounting student at the University of Southampton and of Polish-British heritage, was walking home after a night out with friends on 3 December 2025 when he was attacked. According to court evidence, Digwa chased him and stabbed him five times with a 21cm ceremonial kirpan, a blade carried as part of Sikh religious observance. Digwa then allegedly filmed his victim and falsely told arriving police that Henry had racially abused him and knocked off his turban.

This false narrative, the family believes, contributed directly to the delayed medical attention that might have changed the outcome. Henry died approximately 67 minutes after the stabbing.

Olivia Nowak, Henry’s sister, spoke movingly of her brother as “my first best friend.” She described the irreplaceable loss: “I lost a lot of myself when he died. He deserved to grow old and start a family of his own.” The family painted a picture of Henry as a kind, thoughtful, ambitious young man — the first in his family to attend university — whose bright future was stolen in a moment of senseless violence.

In their statement, the Nowaks also addressed the wider implications of the tragedy. They called on the government to treat knife crime as a “national emergency” and review exemptions for bladed weapons carried for religious or cultural reasons. “Anyone should not be allowed to carry such weapons on our streets,” they emphasised, while carefully avoiding inflaming community tensions.

Crucially, the family appealed for unity: “We do not want Henry’s death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension in our society.” This plea comes as protests have broken out in Southampton and elsewhere, with some turning confrontational. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has condemned any violence linked to the case.

The release of the bodycam footage has intensified public debate about “two-tier policing,” the handling of knife crime, and how accusations of racism can influence police decision-making in high-pressure situations. Attorney General is reportedly reviewing whether Digwa’s sentence is unduly lenient, while additional charges have been authorised against other members of Digwa’s family.

For the Nowak family, however, the focus remains intensely personal. “Our family should not have to fight for the truth,” Mark Nowak said. They have thanked their police liaison officers and legal team but made it clear that justice feels incomplete while questions about Henry’s final treatment remain unanswered.

Henry’s death has left a permanent void. Born to a close-knit family in Essex, he was remembered by those who knew him as friendly, inclusive, and full of potential. His murder, the family stresses, was not inevitable — nor was the manner of his final moments.

As the bodycam video continues to circulate widely on social media and television, prompting strong reactions from politicians across the spectrum, the Nowak family’s composure stands out. In the face of unimaginable pain, they have chosen measured words over anger, demanding accountability without calling for vengeance.

Their message is clear: Henry deserved better — not just protection from violence on Britain’s streets, but basic human dignity in his dying moments. As the IOPC investigation proceeds and the nation watches, many are now asking whether his case will lead to meaningful change in how knife crime and emergency policing are handled.

For the Nowak family, no investigation or policy shift can bring back their son, brother, and friend. But they hope that Henry’s story will ensure no other family has to endure the same heartbreak and unanswered questions.