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Henry Nowak’s family claim police ‘hoped murderer would plead guilty so sickening arrest footage could be covered up and never become public’
Henry Nowak’s family say they fear police delayed showing them body-camera footage of his arrest because they hoped his killer would plead guilty, keeping the footage from public view. The video shows officers handcuffing the 18-year-old as he lay dying after being stabbed, despite his pleas for help; the family say its late disclosure has left them questioning whether they were told the truth.
The footage was first shown to the family at the opening of Vickrum Digwa’s trial, five months after the killing. Before then, an Independent Office for Police Conduct letter had said there was no evidence of serious officer wrongdoing. Digwa was initially sentenced to a minimum of 21 years, later increased to 25 years, while the IOPC investigation continued.
In short
- Henry Nowak’s family question why they saw arrest footage only at his killer’s trial.
- The video shows officers handcuffing him as he pleaded for an ambulance.
- His killer’s minimum prison term was raised to 25 years.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The family’s suspicion is understandable: the footage appears to show officers handcuffing a mortally wounded teenager who was asking for help, and they were not shown it until the trial began. Its late disclosure, alongside an earlier letter finding no evidence of serious wrongdoing, could reasonably raise questions about transparency and whether the family received a full account promptly.
The case against
A delay in showing the footage does not by itself establish that police intended to conceal it or expected a guilty plea. The IOPC had found no evidence of serious wrongdoing at that stage, and the material may have been handled within an ongoing investigation or trial process; a serious allegation of deliberate cover-up therefore needs evidence beyond the timing and the family’s understandable concern.