A British Sikh man who stabbed 18-year-old student Henry Nowak to death in Southampton, then misled police by claiming he had been attacked in a racist incident, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted of murdering Nowak after using a 21 cm blade during a confrontation on December 3, when the teenager was walking home alone after a night out with friends. The killing has drawn widespread attention in the United Kingdom because of Digwa’s false account, the religious controversy around the weapon, and the police decision to arrest and handcuff Nowak while he was dying.
At Southampton Crown Court, Judge William Mousley KC said Digwa had killed Nowak with a large knife he kept attached to his belt. The court heard Nowak asked Digwa if he was a “bad man,” a remark Digwa treated as an insult before the fatal stabbing.
“I am sure Henry said nothing racist,” Mousley said.
The judge told Digwa his actions had caused deep harm beyond the murder itself. “You have brought shame upon your family and your religion,” he said.
Mousley said a religious item should not have been used for an “offensive purpose,” and warned that Digwa’s claims and actions had wider consequences for community relations.
“Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country, which has made many Sikhs worried about their safety,” he said.
Prosecuting barrister Nicholas Lobbenberg KC said Digwa had a “weapons obsession.” He said Digwa’s attempt to portray Nowak as a “racist, drunk, violent aggressor compounds the natural grief and loss of the deceased’s family.”
Weapon Description Sparks Sikh Community Response
The case also triggered debate over how the murder weapon was described. Digwa had said he carried the blade as part of his Sikh faith, but Sikh Federation UK said authorities should have clearly stated the weapon was not a kirpan.
“The murder weapon is of Persian origin and known by an entirely different name. It is not a Sikh ceremonial knife, as many like Reform continue to describe,” the statement read.
The Crown Prosecution Service later denied describing the weapon used in the killing as a kirpan.
Police Response Under Investigation
The most disturbing part of the case for Nowak’s family centred on what happened after officers arrived.
Digwa had told police he had been racially abused, injured, and had his turban knocked off. Bodycam footage released by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, with the family’s permission, shows officers speaking with Digwa and others while Nowak lay wounded on the ground.
Nowak repeatedly told officers, “I’ve been stabbed.” One officer replied, “You’ve been stabbed, whereabouts?”, before adding, “Don’t think you have, mate.”
The footage shows officers moving Nowak onto his side and handcuffing his hands behind his back. After several minutes, he became unresponsive. Police then called an ambulance.
Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, said his son told officers, “I can’t breathe,” nine times.
“Instead of being treated as a dying victim, police formally arrested Henry and read him his rights. That was the last thing he heard,” he said.
Protests Erupt In Southampton After Sentencing
The case has now triggered public unrest in Southampton after bodycam footage showed officers handcuffing Nowak as he lay dying. A protest that began peacefully on Tuesday night turned violent, with 11 police officers and a police dog injured, according to reports.
Police said bricks, bottles, cans and bins were thrown as officers tried to stop protesters from reaching Digwa’s family home in the Portswood area. Two people were arrested, and authorities said more arrests may follow.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged calm and warned against using Nowak’s death to fuel division. He said the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation into the police response was necessary, while also calling for action on knife crime.
Nowak’s family has demanded a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation into how police handled the case. His father, Mark Nowak, has also urged people not to exploit his son’s death to spread hate or division.
Family Says Henry Was Denied Dignity
The family described the police treatment as “inhuman and degrading.” Mark Nowak said Digwa “was afforded decency” and “we understand, he was never handcuffed at all.”
“Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him,” he said.
In court, Mark Nowak said he was “tormented” by the thought of his son’s final moments.
“I couldn’t help Henry in his final moments and there is nothing I can do to bring him back,” he said.
His voice broke as he addressed his son directly. “To my dying son, who I love beyond words, I’m so sorry that I let this happen.”
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France apologized and said officers had been lied to in a 999 call made by Digwa’s brother and faced an “extremely complex” crime scene.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also commented on the case, calling it “an awful, shocking case.”
“Henry’s loved ones have gone through the trauma of a long trial and endured Henry’s killer making up appalling claims about their son who was thoughtful, kind and deeply loved,” he said.
“It is right that the IOPC is investigating the police’s response to his senseless murder. And we must end the cycle of tragedy by tackling the horror of knife crime.”
Digwa’s family apologized to Nowak’s family and said the incident brought “disrepute” to the Sikh community. With the murder trial now over, the IOPC investigation will examine how police handled the first critical minutes after officers arrived at the scene.
