Sikh man guilty of murdering student who he then reported to police for racism

A Sikh man who stabbed a university student to death with an ‘extremely large’ ceremonial blade has been found guilty of murder.

Vickrum Digwa knifed 18-year-old Henry Nowak five times in Southampton on December 3 last year.

When police turned up, he lied that he was the victim of a racist attack by Henry, who spent his final moments before losing consciousness in handcuffs having been arrested.

A senior police officer apologized on behalf of the officers, as US

He posted on X: ‘Unconscionable. I am happy to fund a wrongful death lawsuit against these disgusting excuses for law enforcement. They damn well better have been fired.’

Jurors at Southampton Crown Court were told Digwa had been training with weapons since the age of 12, described the murder weapon in ‘loving terms’ and ‘sleeps in a bedroom with an arsenal of weapons’.

Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, prosecuting, said that although Sikhs are permitted in law to carry a kirpan knife, the discrete carrying of a small dagger under clothing was sufficient for the requirements of the religion.

He said the defendant ‘chose’ to carry two knives, one under his clothing while the large knife which was used in the killing was on display.

Digwa was filmed by his victim telling him ‘I am a bad man’ moments before the knife attack, which included two stab wounds to the back of Henry’s legs and a fatal wound to his heart.

The 23-year-old was also convicted of carrying a bladed weapon in public and his mum, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene.

Giving evidence, the defendant told the court that Henry, who he described as drunk, had racially abused him before punching him and knocking his turban off.

He said he had stabbed the teen to the back of his legs in self-defense after he threatened him and grabbed him by the hair, but said he had not realised at the time he had caused the fatal stab wound to his chest.

But the prosecution said Digwa had told a ‘wicked lie’ to police who attended the scene by telling them he had been the victim of a racist attack.

He also ‘lied’ by telling officers that he had not stabbed Mr Nowak despite the student’s pleas for help as he told the police that he was injured.

This led the officers to arrest Henry and putting him in handcuffs moments before he collapsed and became unconscious before dying despite their efforts to give him first aid.

Judge William Mousley KC adjourned the case for Digwa to be sentenced on June 1 and Kaur on July 17.

Following the case, temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France apologized on behalf of the officers but said they were ‘lied to’ and would have been unaware of Henry’s injury, which he said would not have been obvious.

He said: ‘This is an absolutely tragic case and my sympathies are absolutely with Henry’s family, his friends and his loved ones.

‘I want to apologize, I want to say that I am sorry that Henry couldn’t be saved at that night. I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness.

‘It’s quite clear that officers didn’t understand what had happened immediately and that is some of the context I would ask people to understand.

‘There had been a delay from those who chose eventually to call them.

‘There were lies, lies from Henry’s killer in that 999 phone call, further lies from his killer as officers arrived on scene.

‘Despite Henry telling officers he had been stabbed, it took them some minutes to realise what had really happened.

‘But within three minutes of that engagement with Henry, they were giving him first aid. They had taken the handcuffs off and they were giving them first aid.’

Mr France did not confirm whether the force had received any notice of litigation in relation to the case.

He said: ‘These are private matters for the family and for others. What I’d say is we are absolutely open to any challenge or scrutiny that must come.

‘Policing must be transparent, must be open. All I ask is that people consider all of the facts in the case.’

Mr France said the force had engaged with the Sikh and university communities on the issues involved in the case including the carrying of kirpans – Sikh ceremonial knives such as the one used to kill Henry.

He said: ‘The law’s extremely clear in relation to the carrying of kirpans and we have issued guidance to all officers to make sure that where people are in breach of that law action will be taken, regardless of who they might be, or what community they might come from, if somebody is in breach of the law, then officers will take action.

‘We pride ourselves in the way we engage with all communities and we have been engaged with this community since this happened, as we have with the university community, where Henry came from, and the wider community of Southampton.

‘And in that engagement, of course, we will cover all issues that might be relevant, including the law.’

An IOPC spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with Henry Nowak’s family and everyone affected by his death.

‘We are independently investigating the contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers had with Mr Nowak prior to his death on December 4, including the use of handcuffs by officers and the first aid provided.

‘Our investigation, which began following a mandatory referral from the force that we received the same day, remains ongoing and the officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses.’

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