Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was sentenced to life in June for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, is claiming his human rights are being violated at HMP Frankland in County Durham, a prison dubbed 'Monster Mansion' due to its notorious inmates.
Digwa's Human Rights Complaints
Digwa, who stabbed Henry Nowak with a 21cm (8-inch) blade before lying to police that the teenager had racially attacked him, has reportedly complained that his human rights are being abused. He fears becoming a target for other inmates and has requested a transfer to a Category B prison.
According to The Sun, Digwa is refusing to leave his cell alone and has asked to be placed in segregation while his transfer request is considered. A source told The Sun: “Everything gets taken to him, including his food. He won’t step foot on the wing because he knows what’s coming.”
Prison Response and Security Measures
Digwa's complaints include being denied contact with his father and brother, which he claims breaches his human rights. However, his transfer request has been rejected as “baseless,” according to the paper. The prison now provides him with four guards as an escort whenever he leaves his cell for exercise.
A Prison Service Spokesperson said: “This prisoner is being managed within the prison estate in line with the severity of the heinous offences for which he was convicted.”
Background of the Crime
Digwa, who a court heard was obsessed with weapons, used a 21cm blade to stab Henry as he walked home from a night out in Southampton in December last year. After the attack, Digwa lied to police, claiming Henry had racially attacked him. Henry repeatedly told officers he could not breathe and that he had been stabbed before losing consciousness. He was handcuffed by officers as he lay dying.
HMP Frankland: The Monster Mansion
HMP Frankland is a Category A prison housing some of the UK's most dangerous criminals, including former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard, and serial killer and rapist Levi Bellfield. Double child-killer Ian Huntley was fatally attacked in the prison last year. Inmates are over 21 with sentences of four years or more, serving life, or deemed high-risk.
