The Court of Appeal is currently reviewing the 21-year minimum sentence handed to Vickrum Digwa for the December 2025 murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak in Southampton. The case has returned to court following two opposing legal challenges: the Attorney General argues the sentence is "unduly lenient," while Digwa’s defense contends it is "manifestly excessive."
Digwa, who stabbed the university student with a ceremonial dagger, gained international notoriety after falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack. This deception led to the dying teenager being handcuffed by responders while he lay injured. Prosecutors highlighted this conduct, alongside Digwa’s decision to film the victim and his abuse of a religious exemption to carry the weapon, as evidence that the original sentence failed to reflect the gravity of the crime.
Conversely, defense counsel argued that the sentencing judge improperly applied cumulative weight to overlapping aggravating factors. They maintained that the initial 21-year term was sufficient and that the prosecution’s request for an increase lacks a basis in legal error.
Henry Nowak’s family, who attended the hearing, have expressed deep distress over the appeal process. His stepmother, Katie Nowak, described the proceedings as an unfair burden, noting that the family is forced to relive the trauma of the original verdict. The court is expected to deliver its judgment later today.
