Murdered student did not die with dignity, says family, as bodycam footage shows him being handcuffed

The household of murdered student, Henry Nowak, said they volition transportation their grief "every azygous day" for the remainder of their lives and person called connected the authorities to dainty weapon transgression arsenic a "national emergency".

It comes aft Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to beingness successful prison, for a minimum of 21 years, for utilizing a 21cm (8in) leaf helium said helium carried arsenic portion of his Sikh religion to stab the 18-year-old successful Southampton successful December.

Digwa had lied to constabulary astir being the unfortunate of a racist onslaught and officers arrested and handcuffed Nowak arsenic helium laic dying connected the ground.

The student's household called his attraction by constabulary "inhumane and degrading". Hampshire constabulary has apologised.

Judge William Mousley KC told Southampton Crown Court helium was definite that Nowak had not said thing racist to the Sikh antheral who killed him.

Before sentencing Digwa, helium told him his actions had "stirred up radical hostility successful Southampton and crossed the state which has made many Sikhs worried astir their safety".

Warning: This communicative contains details immoderate whitethorn find upsetting

Henry's older sister, Olivia Nowak, called her brother, from Chafford Hundred successful Essex, her "best friend" and said they had "an unbreakable bond" successful a connection she work retired successful tribunal astir however his decease has changed her life.

She said: "The time we got the sound connected the doorway to accidental my member had passed, I don't deliberation determination are immoderate words to picture that benignant of pain. A batch of myself died erstwhile helium died.

"Henry was the astir wonderful, funny, handsome, kind, precious, astute boy. He lit each country helium walked in.

"As the eldest of 4 siblings, watching my younger brothers and sisters grieve the nonaccomplishment of their large member is simply a symptom layered connected apical of my own.

"Whenever I'm having a hard day, the lone spot I privation to beryllium is astatine Henry's grave.

"It is the spot wherever the world of his nonaccomplishment hits the hardest but the lone spot I americium adjacent to him.

"I consciousness bittersweet for those who ne'er got to acquisition beingness with Henry, adjacent though it was short. If you had known Henry, you would ne'er had wounded him."

A connection written by Henry's mother, Lucy Ross, was work retired by prosecutors.

It said: "Being told that your lad has died is thing nary 1 tin ever genuinely comes to presumption with. The circumstances were truthful tragic and unimaginable that the symptom is beyond thing I knew existed."

She said Henry had been the archetypal grandchild of her aged parents to spell to assemblage and it was a infinitesimal that had "filled each of america with immense pride".

She described Henry arsenic "ambitious, determined, and afloat of life" and said "there volition ever beryllium a spread successful our hearts that tin ne'er beryllium repaired".

Katie Woodcock, Henry's stepmother, told the court: "I replay the horrors of that nighttime implicit again. It keeps maine awake astatine night."

She described watching Henry's dad, Mark Nowak "unable to stand" and proceeding his "raw, unfiltered sobs" echoing done the house, aft the constabulary told them Henry had been stabbed and had died.

She besides recalled however she had recovered 1 of her children, aged 10, "curled up astatine the apical of stairs, unsocial and frightened", having "found retired successful the worst mode possible" done overheard conversations.

Henry had joined the household astatine a pantomime days earlier helium was killed and she said: "We waved him disconnected backmost to Southampton university, backmost to the metropolis that was not harmless for him."

She described going to wide retired Henry's country astatine assemblage and uncovering his advent calendar with lone the archetypal 3 doors open, "that broke me," she added.

In the household connection work retired aft Digwa's sentencing, Mark Nowak said contempt the "shocking actions" of the constabulary connected the "fateful night" Henry died, his household wanted to explicit their "heartfelt gratitude" to the execution probe team.

"They secured justness for our lad and for that our household volition beryllium everlastingly grateful," helium said.

He besides thanked the family's constabulary liaison officers and their ineligible team.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary released bodycam footage, with the family's permission, showing the moments aft officers arrived astatine the scene.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said helium was atrocious Henry had been arrested and handcuffed.

The unit besides promised to act connected recommendations made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating officers' actions.

Sir Keir Starmer commented connected the lawsuit successful a station connected X, wherever helium said: "This an awful, shocking case.

"We indispensable extremity the rhythm of calamity by tackling the fearfulness of weapon crime."