Henry Nowak’s family say 'world changed twice' after watching harrowing police footage

Henry Nowak's family said their "world changed twice" after watching the harrowing police footage of the 18-year-old being handcuffed while dying. Their world changed first when they were told their son had died, and then again when they saw bodycam footage of the teenager during his final moments. Mr Nowak was stabbed to death by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton while walking home from a night out in December 2025. Digwa, 23, lied to officers, falsely claiming the economics student had racially abused him after stabbing Mr Nowak five times with a Sikh ceremonial knife. Footage showed Mr Nowak's final moments of conciousness with police tying his hands behind his back, while the 18-year-old repeatedly told officers he had been stabbed and was unable to breathe. And, in response to the student's desperate pleas for help, a policeman responded: "Don't think you have, mate." The footage sparked nationwide fury after officers from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary handcuffed the 18-year-old in his dying minutes. Now, in a new ITV documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice, his father Mark, stepmother Katie, mother Lucy and sister Olivia have spoken out for the first time since the video was released. "In the last year, our world has changed twice,” Katie told the broadcaster. "The first time was the night that we were told that Henry had died. And the second time was when we watched that video." Mr Nowak's mother, Lucy, said that her daughter told her police were at the door in the early hours of the morning. She recounted: "They said to me, 'Do you have a son called Henry? There’s been an altercation. And unfortunately, your son has passed away'." HENRY NOWAK - READ MORE: "No words, no words can explain that feeling," she added. His stepmother said she "jumped out of bed" and saw the police car on their driveway, adding: "One of the police officers was holding his hat in his hand, and I just knew straight away that something horrific had happened." She said Mr Nowak's father fell to his knees, and "let out a cry I'll never forget". "It was just shock," Mark told ITV. "I just remember saying ‘it’s Henry’ and breaking down in tears. It’s just unbelievable pain." Last week, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced she will launch an independent review into Henry Nowak's murder. Ms Mahmood confirmed ex-Justice Secretary Alex Chalk will lead the urgent probe amid concerns about Hampshire Police's conduct. GB News understands the first phase of the independent review will consider the treatment given to the Nowak family by agencies across the criminal justice system following Henry’s death. The second phase will follow a separate probe conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct into the actions of police officers who attended the scene. Follow related topics: