On 3 December 2025, Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old British university student, was murdered by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton, England. Digwa, a 23-year-old British Sikh man, cut and stabbed Nowak five times with a dagger.
โ๏ธ The Incident and Police Response
Police officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary arrived and handcuffed Nowak after Digwa accused him of assault. Body-worn camera footage showed Nowak repeatedly saying he couldnโt breathe and had been stabbed, to which an officer replied, โI donโt think you have [been stabbed] mate.โ Nowak died shortly after being handcuffed.
๐น Evidence and Trial
Shortly before the stabbing, Nowak had filmed Digwa walking away during a verbal altercation. Digwa claimed self-defence, alleging Nowak made racist remarks and punched him, but prosecutors agreed these allegations were baseless and fabricated.
The jury convicted Digwa of murder on 28 May 2026. Digwaโs mother, Kiran Kaur, was found guilty of assisting an offender. The judge rejected Digwaโs accusations that Nowak had physically or racially abused him.
๐ก๏ธ The Murder and Sentencing
Digwa inflicted five stab wounds on Nowak, including a fatal chest wound, using a 21-cm blade. Digwa called his parents, and Kiran Kaur took the knife and hid it at their home. Digwa received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years.
๐ฎ Police Conduct and Reactions
The police response was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Nowakโs family called his treatment by police โinhumane and degrading.โ Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the murder as an โawful, shocking caseโ and welcomed the investigation.
| Date | Event | Key Person | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Dec 2025 | Murder of Henry Nowak | Vickrum Digwa | Nowak died at scene |
| 28 May 2026 | Jury verdict | Digwa and Kaur | Guilty of murder and assisting offender |
| 1 June 2026 | Sentencing | Digwa | Life sentence, minimum 21 years |
| 2 June 2026 | Release of body-worn camera footage | Hampshire Police | Footage released publicly |