Dr Krzysztof Magier from East Cowes on the Isle of Wight commented on X about the circumstances surrounding the death of British-Polish student Henry Nowak, who was repeatedly stabbed with a ceremonial Sikh knife (shastar) by Vickrum Digwa. The investigation into this murder has sparked considerable controversy.
The most shocking aspect was the reaction of the police officers, who handcuffed the heavily bleeding Nowak instead of providing him with immediate medical assistance. Only after Henry lost consciousness did they call for medical help, but it was already too late to save him. Henry reportedly “drowned in his own blood.”
For several days, crowds have been gathering in front of the Southampton police station, with protests turning into riots. Elon Musk has promised to finance legal action against the officers involved. Their names have not yet been made public, but during the trial, bodycam footage was revealed. The recording shows Henry Nowak repeatedly telling the officers “I’ve been stabbed” nine times while dying on the floor in handcuffs. Only after he lost consciousness did the police call for help.
Henry Nowak’s father said bitterly: “As far as we understand, Vickrum Digwa was never handcuffed and, while under arrest for Henry’s murder, the police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. This contrast is unbearable.”
Dr Krzysztof Magier watched the police footage and read the publicly available “Sentencing Remarks” document by Judge William Mousley K.C. Based on these materials, he wrote:
„After watching the footage from the police „body-cam,” I disagree with the pathologist’s and Judge’s opinion that Henry had no chance of survival. I’ll go further: there’s a high probability that the police intervention contributed to his death.
I have some idea about this because on a daily basis I’m the „lead for paediatric critical care,” I’ve completed Armed Services Training Day and a solid course in London on trauma treatment (including gunshot wounds and stab wounds). Now, the autopsy report lists the piercing of the vein behind the collarbone as the source of bleeding. In a healthy person, venous blood flows under low pressure, and vein damage often seals off with a clot, while the approximation of wound edges and pressure from surrounding tissues and bones closes the vein enough that the bleeding is slow, or even stops altogether.
Therefore, when the police arrived some time after his injury (5-10 min?), Henry was conscious—more than that, he was able to speak. Quite loudly, as can be heard on the footage. When they arrived, he wasn’t a dying man.
After twisting his arms behind his back, it’s most likely that the vein behind the collarbone was stretched, the clot torn, blood poured out, and within 3 minutes Henry lost consciousness and died. A person with an injury and potential internal wounds should never be yanked or have their position changed abruptly for exactly this reason.
I’m afraid the Judge and pathologist were too lenient toward the police. If the police had immediately called an ambulance and paramedics, his chances of survival would have been vastly greater. Above all, without his arms twisted behind his back, the bleeding would have been slower; paramedics would have hooked up an IV to increase circulating blood volume, given tranexamic acid to stabilise the clot, inserted a large-bore needle to decompress the lung—the problem isn’t lack of lung function, but the pressure from the blood-filled lung on the heart and mediastinum, which blocks circulation.
To put it briefly: if paramedics had found Henry at the same time instead of police officers, his chances of survival would have been over 50%.”
Written by Maria Byczynski based on X posts and a conversation with Dr Krzysztof Magier.
