The Court of Appeal has been asked to review the sentence handed to Vickrum Digwa, who was jailed for life over the murder of Henry Nowak.
Solicitor General's Intervention
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC put forward the sentence given to 23-year-old Digwa under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, arguing that it may not reflect the gravity of the killing.
“This case horrified me,” she said, adding, “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 Murder
First-year university student Henry Nowak was killed in Southampton on December 3, last year, on his way home from a night out with friends. Vickrum Singh Digwa, 23, stabbed the 18-year-old five times, including a fatal wound to the chest.
Digwa had been carrying two blades: a small curved kirpan, traditionally carried by initiated Sikhs, and a larger dagger associated with the Nihang Sikh tradition, Southampton Crown Court heard earlier this month. Both weapons were referred to as kirpans, though some Sikh organisations disputed that description.
Police Handling
Officers responded to the incident after a 999 call was made by Digwa's brother, Gurpreet. The attacker then lied to police, claiming he had been the victim of an assault and subjected to racist abuse by Mr Nowak.
Despite repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe, Mr Nowak was handcuffed, arrested and cautioned at the scene. He later lost consciousness and died shortly afterwards.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary later referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the incident. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services launched a separate review at the request of the county's police and crime commissioner.
Court Proceedings
Moments before the stabbing, Mr Nowak had been recording Digwa on his phone during a verbal altercation, the court heard. Prosecutors said Digwa grabbed the device in an attempt to stop himself being filmed, leading to a struggle. There were no eyewitnesses to the stabbing itself.
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 Mr Nowak had physically or racially abused him, when sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The judge said he 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.
