Mother of Henry Nowak's killer jailed for removing weapon

The mother of Vickrum Digwa, who fatally stabbed university student Henry Nowak, has been sentenced to three years in prison for removing the murder weapon from the crime scene. Digwa, 21, used a knife measuring 21cm (8 inches) to kill the 18-year-old as he walked home in Southampton on 3 December. Digwa received a life sentence in June, with a minimum term of 21 years.

Kiran Kaur, aged 53, residing on St Denys Road in Southampton, was convicted at Southampton Crown Court in May for assisting an offender. During sentencing, Judge William Mousley KC criticized her actions, stating that “a responsible parent would have challenged their son” and urged him to “do the right thing.” The judge highlighted that she took the knife and concealed it alongside other weapons found in her son’s bedroom. He remarked that by hiding the blade among “a larger collection of ceremonial and other weapons,” she aimed to obscure its use and help her son avoid detection.

The knife, handed over to Kiran Kaur by Digwa, was discovered by police at their home a week after the stabbing, along with more than 20 other weapons. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg condemned her conduct as “criminality of the highest order” and emphasized that her role was “crucial” in removing the weapon. In contrast, Kaur’s defense lawyer, Mark Watson, described her act as an “instinctive desire to protect her child” carried out spontaneously. Following sentencing, Kelly Newman from the Crown Prosecution Service warned that anyone aiding murderers to evade justice would be held accountable.

Bodycam footage released by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary revealed the events at the scene after the attack. Nowak lay dying and was handcuffed by police after Digwa falsely claimed self-defense, alleging racial abuse and that his turban had been knocked off during the confrontation. The recordings show Nowak repeatedly saying, “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe” while officers restrained him. He soon became unresponsive, even as an officer informed him he was under arrest for assault. Currently, two police officers are under investigation for possible gross misconduct related to their handling of the incident.

Henry Nowak, originally from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was a first-year student at the University of Southampton. The trial revealed that he was stabbed five times, with injuries to his legs, face, and a fatal wound to his chest. While Digwa claimed the knife was carried as part of his Sikh faith, the Sikh Federation disputed this, stating the blade used was not a religious kirpan. A police van transcript captured Digwa admitting to stabbing Nowak multiple times. Digwa, along with his brother and father, has pleaded not guilty to various weapons offenses.

Following the release of the police footage, protests erupted in Southampton. More than 20 individuals have been sentenced for disorder related to the unrest, during which 12 police officers and a police dog were injured. The attorney general’s office has referred Digwa’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, while Digwa himself is seeking to appeal both his conviction and sentence. An official inquest into Henry Nowak’s death is scheduled to take place in Winchester next year

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