Court grants appeal against length of sentence for Nowak murderer

Vickrum Digwa, who was jailed for life for murdering student Henry Nowak, has been given permission to appeal against the length of his sentence. Digwa stabbed 18-year-old Nowak to death in Southampton in December 2025. In June, he received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years.

The Court of Appeal is due to consider his challenge on November 5. The court will also examine a referral from the Attorney General’s office, which argues that the sentence was too lenient. Digwa has separately applied for permission to challenge his murder conviction, and that application will be decided independently.

He was also sentenced for possessing a knife in public. During the trial, he claimed the 21-centimetre blade was carried as part of his Sikh faith. After the stabbing, Digwa told police that he had been the victim of a racist attack, according to the report.

The case later prompted protests after police body-worn footage was released showing officers failing to give Nowak first aid and handcuffing him while he lay dying. The Independent Office for Police Conduct had previously said it was investigating two officers for potential gross misconduct. Protests in Southampton on June 2 involved injuries to 12 police officers and a police dog, and more than 30 people have since been charged with violent disorder.

Former Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Sikh leaders have reported a backlash and increased hate crime against their community following the case.