Solicitor General Sends Digwa’s 21-Year Sentence to Court
The solicitor general has referred Vickrum Digwa’s life sentence with a 21-year minimum term for murdering Henry Nowak to court under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The referral gives the Court of Appeal the chance to consider whether the punishment for the Southampton killing should change.
Digwa Sentence at Southampton Crown Court
William Mousley KC jailed Digwa for life on 1 June at Southampton Crown Court after convicting him of murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak. The sentence included a minimum term of 21 years.
Digwa was convicted of stabbing Nowak to death in a Southampton street on 3 December. During the incident, police initially arrested and handcuffed Nowak before officers realised he was severely injured.
Ellie Reeves Referral
Ellie Reeves said she hoped the referral would help bring justice to Nowak’s family. She said: “This case horrified me, and I know that feeling is shared by the British public.”
Reeves also said: “It is right that difficult questions need to be answered about the way the police handled Henry's Nowak's murder, while my role is to review Digwa's sentence for his crimes.” She added: “No sentence can ever undo the devastation that Henry's family have suffered, or fill the void left by his loss.”
“But I hope this referral goes some way towards bringing them the justice they deserve.”
Nowak Family at Downing Street
The case drew further attention after footage released following the sentencing hearing led to violent protests in Southampton on 2 June. Sir Keir Starmer met members of the Nowak family at Downing Street on 4 June and said he was “profoundly humbled” and described the case as leaving “a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy”.
The case is also under scrutiny by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s handling of it. Digwa claimed he was carrying the blade because of his Sikh faith, and told police on the scene that Nowak had attacked and racially abused him.
The appeal referral now puts the sentence before the Court of Appeal, where judges will decide whether the 21-year minimum term should stand or be altered.
