Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was sentenced last month to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, has reportedly filed an application with the Court of Appeal seeking to have his murder conviction overturned and his sentence reduced.
Digwa stabbed Nowak, a finance student at the University of Southampton, to death in December with a ceremonial dagger. Digwa, who did not know Nowak, initially claimed to police that Nowak had subjected him to racist abuse and attacked him, causing his turban to fall off. However, the court rejected these claims, with the sentencing judge stating, "I am sure that Henry said nothing racist. You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character."
Nowak was arrested while injured and died in police custody. The circumstances of his arrest, including being handcuffed while lying on the ground and stating he could not breathe, sparked widespread outrage. Images released by authorities showed Nowak handcuffed as he lay dying.
Digwa's application to the Court of Appeal comes as the solicitor general, Ellie Reeves KC, had also applied for Digwa's sentence to be reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The Court of Appeal confirmed that Digwa's case had previously been referred to them on the grounds of being unduly lenient. An official stated that Digwa had "recently lodged an application for leave to appeal conviction and sentence."
An appeal court judge will now determine if Digwa will be granted the opportunity to appeal, with a potential hearing by three judges at the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. Digwa had claimed he carried the ceremonial knife, which has a 21cm blade, as part of his Sikh religious practice. Police had previously investigated Digwa in 2023 on suspicion of stealing ceremonial blades from a Sikh temple in Southampton, but no further action was taken.
The handling of the arrest and the actions of Digwa's brother, Gurpreet Digwa, have also drawn scrutiny. Gurpreet Digwa called emergency services and told police that he and his brother had been racially attacked by a white person, which preceded Nowak's arrest. Gurpreet Digwa watched as Nowak was handcuffed while fatally injured. Evidence presented during Vickrum Digwa's trial suggested that Gurpreet Digwa may have committed perjury, assisted an offender, and obstructed police. Hampshire Police did not refer Gurpreet Digwa to the Crown Prosecution Service for charges related to Henry Nowak's murder. An online petition has called for Gurpreet Digwa to be reinvestigated.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously stated that he "felt sick" watching footage of Nowak's arrest and that "serious questions" needed to be answered. Ellie Reeves KC described the case as "horrifying" and expressed hope that the review would assist Nowak's family in achieving justice, while acknowledging that no sentence could undo their devastation.