A court in the UK has heard shocking details about how an 18-year-old university student was stabbed to death while walking home after a night out in Southampton last December.
According to prosecutors, Henry Nowak, a first-year finance student from Essex, had been sending videos to his friends on Snapchat as he headed home along Belmont Road.
One of those videos allegedly captured his encounter with 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa.
Prosecutors said Digwa was carrying a large knife – a shastar – out in the open. The blade was allegedly over 20 centimeters long.
In the footage, Henry was heard calling Digwa out for acting tough, before Digwa replied by saying he really was a “bad man.” The video ended just moments before the stabbing happened.
Digwa has pleaded not guilty to murder and also denies carrying a knife in public.
His mother, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur, is also on trial after prosecutors accused her of helping remove the weapon from the scene afterward. She has denied these charges.
While there were no direct witnesses, nearby residents reportedly heard Henry saying he had been stabbed and was dying.
Prosecutors said he tried to escape despite his injuries. At one point, he even attempted to climb over a fence.
Evidence shown in court suggested Henry had already been fatally injured by then, but prosecutors say Digwa still kept chasing after him anyway.
After the attack, Digwa did not try to help Henry. Rather, he accused him of being drunk and racist.
When police first arrived, they briefly handcuffed Henry while trying to understand what had happened. However, he later collapsed, prompting them to administer first aid.
A doctor was later flown in by helicopter, but by then there was sadly nothing that could be done to save him.
Jurors also heard that Henry’s phone was later found in Digwa’s pocket.
Surveillance footage later showed Digwa’s mother removing the knife from the scene and taking it back to the family home, where it was eventually recovered by police.
A post-mortem examination found Henry had suffered four stab wounds.
Digwa’s lawyers say he was racially abused during the confrontation and that he acted in self-defense. They also told the jury to consider whether he may have reacted in the heat of the moment.
The trial is still ongoing.
