In Southampton, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years for fatally stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak six times with an eight-inch ceremonial dagger in December, an act Digwa claimed was part of his Sikh faith, while police bodycam footage revealed officers dismissing Nowak's pleas for an ambulance and failing to believe he had been stabbed as he lay dying, despite Digwa's assertions that he was racially assaulted and that Nowak was not stabbed, leading to Nowak's death shortly after; the victim's father expressed that his son did not die with dignity due to the police's inhumane treatment, contrasting it with Digwa's perceived decency during his arrest, prompting Hampshire's police and crime commissioner to announce plans to seek a national review of laws regarding religious exemptions for carrying bladed articles, though the Sikh Federation stated the weapon used was not a kirpan and that its mischaracterization was fueling anti-Sikh sentiment.

In Southampton, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years for fatally stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak six times with an eight-inch ceremonial dagger in December, an act Digwa claimed was part of his Sikh faith, while police bodycam footage revealed officers dismissing Nowak's pleas for an ambulance and failing to believe he had been stabbed as he lay dying, despite Digwa's assertions that he was racially assaulted and that Nowak was not stabbed, leading to Nowak's death shortly after; the victim's father expressed that his son did not die with dignity due to the police's inhumane treatment, contrasting it with Digwa's perceived decency during his arrest, prompting Hampshire's police and crime commissioner to announce plans to seek a national review of laws regarding religious exemptions for carrying bladed articles, though the Sikh Federation stated the weapon used was not a kirpan and that its mischaracterization was fueling anti-Sikh sentiment.

In Southampton, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years for fatally stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak six times with an eight-inch ceremonial dagger in December, an act Digwa claimed was part of his Sikh faith, while police bodycam footage revealed officers dismissing Nowak's pleas for an ambulance and failing to believe he had been stabbed as he lay dying, despite Digwa's assertions that he was racially assaulted and that Nowak was not stabbed, leading to Nowak's death shortly after; the victim's father expressed that his son did not die with dignity due to the police's inhumane treatment, contrasting it with Digwa's perceived decency during his arrest, prompting Hampshire's police and crime commissioner to announce plans to seek a national review of laws regarding religious exemptions for carrying bladed articles, though the Sikh Federation stated the weapon used was not a kirpan and that its mischaracterization was fueling anti-Sikh sentiment.

The last minutes of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, a teen from Southampton city who was stabbed to death by a Sikh man was captured in police bodycam footage as they were arresting him.

The horrific murder took place last December.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, used an eight-inch ceremonial dagger to carry out the murder in Southampton city centre.

The victim was stabbed four times by the stranger.

When police arrived on the scene, Digwa claimed that Nowak shouted racist abuse at him and punched him.

Police bodycam footage shows that the police officers dismissed the student's cries for help as he was dying. Nowak had asked them to call an ambulance.

The footage also shows Digwa claiming he was racially assaulted by the teen and that he had a bruised eye.

Nowak can be heard telling officers: “I’ve been stabbed”. One replies, “I don’t think you have, mate”. They then handcuffed him.

He is also heard repeating “I can't breathe” as the officers continue to dismiss him.

Digwa also tells the officers that the victim was not stabbed.

One female officer says, “I know, but we have to check, don't we.”

Nowak died shortly afterwards.

Vickruum Digwa has now been sentenced to life in prison for a minimum of 21 years. He said he carried out the murder as part of his Sikh faith.

Hampshire police have apologised for the incident.

Right after Digwa was handed a life sentence, Nowak’s father, Mark, said that the actions of the police on December 3, 2025, meant that Henry ‘did not die with dignity.’

“Let me be absolutely clear - we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100 per cent responsible for the brutal murder of our son,” the father said.

“But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading.

“His murderer, however, was afforded decency. He was believed. He was not handcuffed when arrested. He was not handcuffed when transported to the police station. As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all.

“And, as Vickrum Digwa himself told the court, while under arrest for Henry's murder, police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. The contrast is unbearable.”

His family also described him as an "amazing young man",

Judge William Mousley KC says the student was "careful and principled, full of humour, warmth and promise".

Obsession with knives

Digwa reportedly had a fascination with antique Sikh weaponry. During the trial, the court was told that the he slept in a bedroom that contained an 'arsenal of weapons' owned by him and his brother. 

Sources in the local Sikh community who spoke to the Daily Mail also said that Digwa and his brother were briefly Gatka teachers. A video from 2023 taken at a Sikh event at London shows him putting on a demonstration with the ceremonial knives. 

Meanwhile, Hampshire's police and crime commissioner Donna Jones said that she intends to raise the issue of members of the Sikh faith being able to carry ceremonial daggers. "As Commissioner, I intend to write to the Prime Minister to request a national review of the laws concerning the carrying of bladed articles under religious exemptions," she said.

Sikhs in the UK are allowed to carry a kirpan (a traditional religious blade) as part of their faith.

The Sikh Federation has claimed that the blade used by Digwa for the murder was not a kirpan and said that the description of the blade as such has led to unnecessary attacks on the Sikh identity.

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