Henry Nowak murderer: Solicitor general appeals sentence of killer Vickrum Digwa: ‘This case horrified me’

Attorney General Ellie Reeves sent the sentence for Henry Nowak’s killer to the Court of Appeal under the overly lenient plan.

Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of 18-year-old student Mr Nowak in a case that sparked violent protests in Southampton in June.

Ms Reeves said: “I am appalled by this case and I know that feeling is shared by the British public. “It is true that difficult questions need to be answered about the police’s handling of Henry Nowak’s murder, and it is my duty to review the sentence Digwa received for his crimes.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.

“No sentence can undo the devastation suffered by Henry’s family or fill the void left by his loss. But I hope this referral will be a step towards providing them with the justice they deserve.”

The Court of Appeal will now decide whether the sentence was unduly lenient.

At the hearing, Southampton Crown Court heard that Digwa, 23, stabbed Mr Nowak to death with a Sikh ceremonial knife on December 3, 2025.

Digwa was filmed by his victim telling him “I’m a bad man” moments before the knife attack, which left Mr Nowak with two stab wounds to the back of his legs and a fatal wound to his heart.

During his trial, Digwa claimed Mr Nowak, whom he described as drunk, racially abused him before punching him and knocking off his hijab.

She said she stabbed Mr. Nowak in the back of his legs in self-defense after Mr. Nowak threatened her and grabbed her by the hair.

He claimed that he did not realize at the time that he had caused the fatal stab wound in Mr Nowak’s chest.

However, the prosecution said Digwa told a “bad lie” when he told police officers who arrived at the scene that he was the victim of a racist attack.

He also “lied” to officers that he did not stab Mr. Nowak, despite the student’s calls for help while telling police he was injured.

This led to officers arresting Mr. Nowak and handcuffing him moments before he collapsed and lost consciousness. He later died despite the first aid efforts made to him.

The 18-year-old’s treatment has triggered a political debate, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging politicians to heed calls from the teenager’s relatives to “not use the case to create confusion”.

Sir Keir also met Mr Nowak’s family and said he was “extremely humbled” to have a private meeting with them in Downing Street.

He urged the nation to choose unity over hatred, adding that Mr. Nowak “deserves a legacy that goes beyond this terrible tragedy.”