The jail term imposed on the man who fatally stabbed Henry Nowak is set to be examined by the Court of Appeal. Ellie Reeves KC, the Solicitor General, has referred the sentence of 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, arguing it may not adequately reflect the severity of the crime, as reported by Lancs.Live.
Solicitor General's Statement
“This case horrified me,” Reeves stated. “I know that feeling is shared by the British public. It is right that difficult questions need to be answered about the way the police handled Henry Nowak’s murder, while my role is to review Digwa’s sentence for his crimes. After careful consideration, I have taken the decision to refer this case to the Court of Appeal. No sentence can ever undo the devastation that Henry’s family have suffered, or fill the void left by his loss. But I hope this referral goes some way towards bringing them the justice they deserve.”
The Incident and Trial
First-year university student Henry Nowak was killed in Southampton on December 3 last year, while walking home from a night out with friends. Digwa stabbed the 18-year-old five times, including a fatal wound to the chest. During the trial at Southampton Crown Court, it was revealed that Digwa carried two blades: a small curved kirpan, traditionally carried by initiated Sikhs, and a larger dagger associated with the Nihang Sikh tradition. Both were referred to as kirpans, though some Sikh organisations disputed that description.
After the stabbing, Digwa’s brother Gurpreet called 999. Digwa then lied to police, claiming he had been the victim of an assault and subjected to racist abuse by Nowak. Despite repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe, Nowak was handcuffed, arrested, and cautioned at the scene. He later lost consciousness and died shortly afterwards.
Police and Independent Reviews
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the incident. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services also launched a separate review at the request of the county's police and crime commissioner.
Moments before the stabbing, Nowak had been recording Digwa on his phone during a verbal altercation. Prosecutors said Digwa grabbed the device to stop being filmed, leading to a struggle. There were no eyewitnesses to the stabbing itself.
Verdict and Sentence
A jury convicted Digwa of murder on May 28, 2026. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was also found guilty of assisting an offender after hiding the murder weapon. The judge rejected Digwa's claims that Nowak had physically or racially abused him, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The judge noted that Digwa carried the dagger as part of his identity as a member of the Nihang order, although some Sikh scholars argued such a weapon is not required by the faith.
