Man who murdered Henry Nowak has sentence increased

The Court of Appeal increased Vickrum Digwa’s minimum life sentence from 21 to 25 years following a referral by Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme. The decision was made after the Attorney General determined Digwa’s original sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal heard submissions on the severity of the crime and its impact on the victim’s family. The increase reflects the court’s assessment of the aggravating factors in the case.

On 3 December 2025, Vickrum Digwa, 23, of St Denys, Southampton, stabbed Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old Southampton University student, to death. The two were unknown to each other. Digwa was carrying a large Sikh dagger in a sheath over his clothing when he encountered Nowak. After a brief interaction, Digwa stabbed Nowak multiple times in the chest, legs, and abdomen. The attack was followed by Digwa filming the victim as he tried to escape and continued filming as Nowak lay dying.

Following the attack, Digwa instructed his mother to remove the murder weapon and repeatedly lied to police officers about the incident. The court heard that Digwa’s actions included attempts to conceal evidence and obstruct justice. The brutality of the attack and subsequent conduct were central to the Attorney General’s referral for a sentence increase. The victim’s family provided a Victim Impact Statement detailing the profound grief and trauma caused by the loss.

Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to increase the minimum term. In a statement, Reeves expressed horror at the case’s brutality and shared the public’s sentiment. She acknowledged that no sentence could ever replace the loss suffered by Henry Nowak’s family. The Attorney General reiterated her thoughts with the family during this difficult time, emphasizing the importance of the outcome in delivering justice.