Southampton, UK – Kiran Kaur, 53, the mother of Vickrum Digwa, has been sentenced to three years in prison for assisting an offender by concealing the knife used in the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old University of Southampton student Henry Nowak.
Kaur was convicted following a trial at Southampton Crown Court after she took the 21cm blade, its sheath, and belt from her son at the crime scene on Belmont Road in Portswood on the night of December 3, 2025. Police later recovered the murder weapon—along with more than 20 other weapons—at the family home in St Denys Road.
Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years in June 2026 after being found guilty of murdering Nowak. The court heard he stabbed the teenager five times, including fatal wounds to the chest, during what prosecutors described as an unprovoked attack. Digwa claimed self-defence and alleged racial abuse, claims the jury rejected.
Body-worn camera footage released by police showed Digwa lying to officers, leading them to initially handcuff the dying Nowak despite his pleas that he had been stabbed and could not breathe. The case sparked widespread outrage, protests in Southampton, and national debate over knife crime, policing, and the carrying of blades.
During Digwa’s sentencing, Judge William Mousley KC noted that the killer bore some responsibility for his mother’s actions. The judge highlighted how Digwa, covered in blood, instructed Kaur to remove the weapon while his brother spoke to emergency services. Kaur has been in custody for approximately seven months awaiting her sentence.
Prosecutors described Digwa as “weapons-obsessed,” with an arsenal including illegal items found at the home. Sikh community representatives condemned the misuse of religious items like the kirpan and stressed that the crime did not reflect their faith.
Henry Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was a first-year finance student described by his family as kind, ambitious, and full of life. His death has devastated his loved ones, who have spoken publicly about the trauma of the trial and false allegations made against their son.
A Hampshire Police spokesperson said: “This sentencing concludes another chapter in what has been a tragic and complex case. Our thoughts remain with Henry’s family.”
Kaur’s defence is understood to have argued she acted under pressure from her son in a highly charged moment. The judge is reported to have taken into account her previous good character and time already served.
Digwa’s father and brother face separate weapons possession charges, which are ongoing. Digwa himself has reportedly appealed aspects of his conviction and sentence.
This case has intensified calls for stricter knife laws and reviews of how officers respond to incidents involving blades and potential misinformation at scenes.