Vickrum Digwa, 23, confessed to repeatedly stabbing finance student Henry Nowak, 18, in the face and chest with a kirpan, a Sikh ceremonial knife, during a recorded conversation with his brother in the back of a police van. The exchange took place within 36 hours of Nowak's murder on December 3, 2025, as the brothers were being transported for a custody hearing.
Digwa had initially lied to police and Nowak's family, claiming the teenager had shouted racist abuse, punched him, and knocked off his turban. However, the conversation with his brother, Gurpreet Digwa, 27, marked the first time Digwa admitted the truth of the attack. A transcript of the conversation, translated from Punjabi, was released by the Crown Prosecution Service.
In the recording, when Gurpreet asked what he had done, Digwa gestured to his shoulder and said, "One here, towards the face and one on the chest." Gurpreet told his brother he should not have done it, to which Digwa responded, "It was my fault, or mistake." Digwa also referred to himself as "a fool" for using the kirpan.
The use of the word "kirpan" for the eight-inch murder weapon has been disputed by some Sikhs, who state a kirpan is typically a smaller, curved ceremonial blade. Digwa's brother urged him to claim self-defense and questioned why he had not fled the scene.
Nowak, described by his family as "kind and talented," was arrested as he lay bleeding and later died. Bodycam footage showed officers initially appearing to dismiss his claims of being stabbed. The two officers who attended to Nowak are now under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for potential gross misconduct, including failures to provide urgent medical attention and for arresting and handcuffing him instead of rendering aid. The IOPC will also examine whether race or religion played a role in their decisions.
Digwa was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years. He is currently seeking to appeal his conviction and sentence. Meanwhile, the Solicitor General had applied to have his jail term reconsidered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender for removing the murder weapon from the scene at Digwa's request and is awaiting sentencing. Neither Gurpreet Digwa nor their father, Moga Singh, faced charges related to the murder, though evidence at trial suggested Gurpreet may have committed perjury, assisted an offender, and obstructed police. The family has pleaded not guilty to possessing other weapons.
During the police van conversation, the brothers also discussed legal strategies and their parents' potential reaction to Digwa's conviction. "Mum was making a lot of noise. It was my fault," Digwa said, referencing his mother's distress.
At the trial, a witness testified that Nowak had repeatedly said, "I'm not a racist," during the incident. The prosecuting KC stated that Nowak's denial of being a racist was heard as he lay dying.