Kiran Kaur, the mother of student Henry Nowak's killer, has been jailed for her role in attempting to hide the murder weapon. Kaur was sentenced for removing the knife used by her son, Vickrum Digwa, to stab Nowak five times, including a fatal wound to the chest.
Nowak, an 18-year-old first-year student at the University of Southampton, was walking back to his accommodation after an evening of drinking when he was attacked. The prosecution stated that Nowak sustained multiple stab wounds, including to his face and legs.
Digwa claimed he carried the blade as part of his Sikh faith, a statement disputed by the Sikh Federation, which clarified that the weapon used was not a religious kirpan. In a recorded conversation in the back of a police van, Digwa admitted to his brother, Gurpreet, that he had repeatedly stabbed Nowak. Digwa, his brother, and their father have all pleaded not guilty to multiple weapons offense charges.
Following Digwa's conviction, protests erupted in Southampton, leading to disorder in which 12 police officers and a police dog were injured. More than 20 individuals have since been sentenced in connection with the disturbances.
The attorney general's office has referred Digwa's sentence to the Court of Appeal, citing it as potentially unduly lenient. Digwa himself is also pursuing an appeal against his conviction and sentence. A full inquest into Henry Nowak's death is scheduled to take place in Winchester next year.