The brother of a weapons-obsessed Sikh man who stabbed teenager Henry Nowak to death told police the student was the aggressor, falsely claiming a racial attack. Vickrum Digwa, 23, used an eight-inch ceremonial sword to stab 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak six times in Southampton city centre last December. As the victim lay dying, Digwa's brother Gurpreet, 27, dialled 999 and alleged his sibling had been the victim of a 'racial attack'. 'We've just been attacked racially by some white person,' Gurpreet is heard saying in the call. Judge William Mousley KC stated that Gurpreet 'may just have been accepting that which [Digwa] told him' and was 'sure' Mr Nowak never said anything racist. The prosecution barrister described Digwa's false claims as a 'wicked lie'.
Family Involvement in Cover-Up
While Gurpreet was on the phone, Digwa handed the knife and sheath to his 53-year-old mother, Kiran Kaur, who attempted to hide the murder weapon. Kaur has been found guilty of assisting an offender and will be sentenced on 17 July. The killer's relatives have since apologised to Mr Nowak's family and for bringing the Sikh community into 'disrepute'. In a statement issued through Sikh PA, the family said: 'The loss of a young life is a grief that no family should ever have to carry. We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the Nowak family has had to endure.' They added: 'We apologise to the Sikh community for our son's actions which have unfairly brought the community into disrepute.'
Police Bodycam Footage Reveals Disturbing Scene
Harrowing police bodycam footage showed Digwa's father Moga Singh holding Mr Nowak upright while he was slumped against a house. He told officers: 'He keeps dropping side to side so I'm trying to keep him sat up, he's got a mouthful of blood.' Judge Mousley said he 'at least tried to do something to help Henry'. The family said Mr Nowak had jumped over the fence and slipped on the floor in a desperate attempt to escape his killer. The teenager struggled to even say his name, but officers instead asked if anybody else had been injured. Digwa then used his 'trump card' to accuse Mr Nowak of racism and lied to police that his turban was torn off and his hair was grabbed, before pointing to his eye and claiming it was swollen. The court heard that the killer had the turban on after stabbing his victim and must have taken it off himself before police arrived.
Victim's Final Moments
Meanwhile, the teenager lay stricken on the floor, drowning in his own blood. When he told officers he had been stabbed, one replied: 'I don't think you have, mate.' The footage also showed Digwa telling police that his victim had not been stabbed. A female officer replied: 'I know, but we have to check don't we.' The innocent victim begged officers to call an ambulance, but it was the injured student who was arrested as he lay dying. Officers pulled Mr Nowak along the ground as he continued to beg for help, telling them he could not breathe at least seven times before he was ordered to place his hands in cuffs. The student died from drowning in his own blood shortly after his wrongful arrest, Southampton Crown Court heard.
Political Reaction
Nigel Farage said people should respond with 'pure cold rage' to the treatment of Mr Nowak. He stated that Mr Nowak was 'actually treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder'. The Reform UK leader said the last thing Mr Nowak heard on this Earth was being read his rights by officers as he lay dying in handcuffs. 'What does he say? I can't breathe,' Mr Farage said. He contrasted the reaction to the George Floyd case with the 'silence' over this incident, claiming proof of a 'two-tier culture'. Mr Farage vowed to write to the Attorney General to ask for Digwa's sentence to be reviewed for being unduly lenient. He added: 'Enough of anti-white prejudice, a promotion of the idea that white lives matter just as much as black lives.' Robert Jenrick also reposted the footage, describing it as 'harrowing' and saying: 'He was the victim, but treated like a criminal.'
Family's Grief and Call for Investigation
After the killer's sentencing, Mr Nowak's family criticised police for letting him die without 'dignity'. Mark Nowak, the teen's father, said 'justice alone is not enough' and the way his son was treated compared to Digwa was 'unbearable'. 'Let me be absolutely clear - we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100 per cent responsible for the brutal murder of our son,' he said. 'But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading.' He noted that the murderer was not handcuffed when arrested or transported to the police station, and was even taken to the kitchen to choose his food. The father called for a 'full, fearless and transparent' investigation into the police handling of his son's murder.
Killer's Background
The court heard that Digwa slept in a bedroom with an 'arsenal of weapons' that he and his brother shared. He had a fascination with antique Sikh weaponry and described the murder weapon in 'loving terms' when questioned. A video from 2023 showed Digwa performing a 'Gatka' with his older brother, a Sikh weapons demonstration. Sources in the local Sikh community said Digwa and his brother were briefly Gatka teachers, but ties were cut over concerns about his behaviour. Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years after a jury found him guilty of 'aggressively pursuing' Mr Nowak and stabbing him six times, including a chest wound 8cm deep. Judge Mousley told the defendant that being able to wear a knife in public was a 'privilege' with 'huge responsibility', and it was a 'fundamental principle' of Sikhism that the knife was 'never to be carried for an offensive purpose'. He added: 'You have brought shame upon your family and your religion.'
Police Apology and Investigation
Hampshire Police apologised to Mr Nowak's family for arresting the fatally injured teenager. Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said: 'I'm sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested.' The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the officers' actions. The case has caused international outrage, with tech billionaire Elon Musk offering to fund a private prosecution against the police. Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Donna Jones said she finds it 'extremely disturbing' Digwa was legally allowed to carry the eight-inch knife under religious exemption as a Sikh. She has written to the Prime Minister about this aspect of the 'shocking case'.
