Newly released court transcripts show that the man who fatally stabbed 18-year-old Henry Nowak was prompted by his brother to falsely claim the victim had racially abused him. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years for murdering Nowak.

Digwa had knifed Nowak five times with a ceremonial dagger after a random confrontation in Southampton last December. He initially lied to officers, asserting that Nowak had shouted racist abuse, punched him, and knocked off his turban. At the time, Nowak was arrested while lying on the ground, covered in his own blood, and later died in police custody. An unedited transcript of the trial, released by the Centre for Justice Policy, details Digwa's misleading statements to authorities.

Despite Nowak being covered in blood, Digwa initially denied he had been stabbed, stating, "He's not been stabbed." He also claimed, "I don't know what he's talking about" and "he's pretending." When questioned during cross-examination about the blood, Digwa stated he had "no idea that I'd fatally stabbed [him]."

The transcript indicates that the false racism claim was not made independently by Digwa. His brother, Gurpreet, asked him, "Did he racially say anything to you?" to which Digwa responded, "Yeah, he called me a P*** as well." When confronted by the prosecuting barrister, Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, with the assertion that these claims were a "pack of lies," Digwa maintained, "It's not the lies, it's the truth."

In his sentencing remarks, Judge William Mousley KC rejected Digwa's claims of racial abuse, stating there was no evidence of any racist remarks by Nowak and that the accusation was entirely inconsistent with his character.

Gurpreet Digwa, 27, arrived at the scene shortly after the stabbing and did not witness it. However, days later, he was recorded urging his brother in a police van to claim he had acted in "self-defence."

Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was jailed for three years for assisting an offender. She had taken the knife Digwa used to stab Nowak away from the murder scene. The judge stated her actions "added to your son's pretence that he had done nothing wrong and that he was the victim" and contributed to the "degradation of Henry being arrested when he was dying." Kaur's family, including grandmother Bimla Kaur, 75, defended her actions, with Bimla Kaur stating her daughter was "only doing what any mother would have done, which is to protect her child."

The transcript also includes evidence from a pathologist regarding the condition of Henry Nowak. Police had questioned whether handcuffing Nowak had hindered his survival. The pathologist confirmed the handcuffs caused marks on his wrists and hand but stated the chest wound would have been fatal even with immediate first aid. The court heard Nowak was walking home after a night out when he encountered Digwa. A scuffle ensued, and Digwa stabbed Nowak in the chest with his dagger, which he carried according to his Sikh faith. He also inflicted two stab wounds to Nowak's leg and one to the abdomen, along with a slash mark to the face.

Hampshire Police officers handcuffed Nowak while he was mortally wounded, despite his pleas captured on bodycam that he could not breathe and had been stabbed. An officer's response was recorded as, "I don't think you have, mate." Two officers involved are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for potential gross misconduct, including failing to recognize Nowak's need for urgent medical attention, not acting when he stated he was stabbed and could not breathe, and arresting and handcuffing him instead of providing first aid. One officer is also being investigated for potentially breaching conduct standards by dismissing Nowak's claim of being stabbed.

The IOPC is also examining whether race or religion played a role in the officers' decision-making. The footage of Nowak being handcuffed while dying sparked protests and claims of "two-tier" policing. Nowak's family has stated they will "never give up in our campaign for justice for Henry" and are focused on ensuring thorough investigations and advocating for changes.