A man who claimed he carried a 21cm knife for religious reasons has been found guilty of murdering an 18-year-old university student in Southampton. Vickrum Digwa, 23, fatally stabbed Henry Nowak five times as the teenager walked home after a night out with his football team.
When police arrived at the scene, Digwa falsely claimed that Nowak had racially abused him and knocked his turban off. Officers handcuffed Nowak before discovering his fatal wounds. At Southampton Crown Court, Digwa's legal team argued he acted in self-defence and carried the knife as part of his Sikh faith. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC dismissed the racism allegation as a 'wicked lie', noting Digwa already wore a small ceremonial kirpan under his clothing, which satisfied his religious obligation.
After the verdict, Hampshire Police apologised for handcuffing Nowak. Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said: 'This case is an absolute tragedy. I'm sorry that Henry's life couldn't be saved that night, and I'm sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested. He was the victim.' The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the officers' actions.
Nowak, from Essex, was studying finance at the University of Southampton. The judge, William Mousley KC, told the jury that carrying a knife of that size would require a good reason, such as self-defence or religious purposes. Digwa is due to be sentenced at a later date.
