The mother of a man who falsely claimed his victim was racist has been jailed for removing the murder weapon from the scene. Kiran Kaur, 53, was sentenced to three years at Southampton Crown Court after being found guilty of assisting an offender. Her son, Vickrum Digwa, 23, was given a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years for stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak five times in December 2025.
Police initially arrested Nowak after Digwa claimed the student had racially abused him and knocked off his turban. Those claims later sparked riots in Southampton, with at least 25 people charged with violent disorder. The false allegations were only disproven after officers saw the victim’s fatal injuries.
Kaur took the knife from the scene back to the family home, where it was later recovered following CCTV analysis. Judge William Mousley KC said her actions added to her son's pretence that he was the victim. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told the court that removing the weapon hampered the police investigation.
The judge noted that a responsible parent would have challenged their son, but instead Kaur concealed the knife. Defence lawyer Mark Watson urged a suspended sentence, citing Kaur’s volunteer work and role in the community. Kelly Newman of the CPS said those who help murderers evade justice will be held accountable.
Hampshire Police have apologised for their handling of the case, and the arrest is under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Nowak, a finance student from Essex, was stabbed as he walked home after a night out.
