Kiran Kaur, the mother of murderer Vickrum Digwa, has been sentenced to three years in prison for removing the knife used by her son to kill 18-year-old Henry Nowak from the crime scene. The 53-year-old was convicted of assisting an offender after taking the weapon back to the family home on the night of the murder, December 3 2025.
Sentencing at Southampton Crown Court
Judge William Mousley KC handed down the sentence at Southampton Crown Court on Friday. He stated that a responsible parent would have challenged their son and encouraged him to do the right thing, but instead Kaur took the knife home and placed it with a collection of ceremonial weapons in Digwa's bedroom, helping conceal its use in the crime.
The judge noted that Kaur's actions before and after removing the dagger added to Digwa's pretence that he had done nothing wrong and was the victim. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC described her role as crucial in removing the murder weapon while police were arriving at the scene, hampering their investigation. He said the absence of the weapon led to Henry dying terrified, alone, and disbelieved.
Details of the Crime
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for the murder of Henry Nowak, a finance student at university. Digwa had falsely claimed that Nowak racially abused him before the stabbing. The murder weapon was recovered about a week later after police examined CCTV footage.
Barrister Mark Watson, defending Kaur, argued that she acted spontaneously after receiving a phone call that her son had been attacked, and that she was misled by Digwa's lies. He noted that the weapon was not destroyed, cleaned, or hidden, and remained in its sheath. He urged the judge to impose a suspended sentence, citing Kaur's positive character and volunteer work.
Judge's Remarks
Judge Mousley acknowledged that Kaur is unlikely to reoffend and acted out of misplaced loyalty to her son, but emphasised the seriousness of the offence required punishment to deter others. He described the devastating impact on Nowak's family, calling him a much-loved, kind, hard-working, and ambitious young man with a bright future.
Kaur, who appeared emotional in the dock with the aid of a Punjabi interpreter, has spent over seven months in custody since her arrest. Family members attended the hearing to support her.
