Sikh man jailed for life for murder in Southampton
Vickrum Digwa sentenced for stabbing university student Henry Nowak
Last updated 2nd Jun 2026
A Sikh man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of an 18-year-old university student, Henry Nowak, in Southampton.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted at Southampton Crown Court for the murder and for carrying a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade in a public place.
The incident occurred on Belmont Road on 3rd December 2025.
Details of the Case
The court heard that Digwa falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him before fatally stabbing him with the ceremonial knife.
Digwa was filmed telling his victim, "I am a bad man," moments before delivering two stab wounds to the back of Nowak's legs and the fatal wound to his heart.
In his defence, Digwa alleged that Nowak, whom he described as drunk, had racially abused him, knocked off his turban, and threatened him, leading Digwa to stab him in self-defence.
However, the prosecution argued that Digwa misled the police at the scene by claiming to be the victim of a racist attack and denying the stabbing, despite Nowak's pleas for help.
Actions and Consequences
The misinformation led officers to arrest Nowak, who was then handcuffed before collapsing and losing consciousness.
Despite officers’ attempts to administer first aid, Nowak died.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has since posted on X an offer to fund a private prosecution against the police.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Digwa has been ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years in prison.