The family of murdered university student Henry Nowak has voiced their anger over his killer's attempt to shorten his life sentence and the impending early release of the killer's mother. Vickrum Digwa, who was sentenced to at least 21 years for stabbing 18-year-old Mr. Nowak in December last year, is appealing his jail term, claiming it is "manifestly excessive."
Simultaneously, the Attorney General has referred Digwa's sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing it is "unduly lenient." A hearing for both appeals is scheduled to take place today at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
Adding to the family's distress, Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, who was sentenced to three years for assisting an offender by hiding the murder weapon, is expected to be released next month after serving only one year of her sentence under a government early release scheme. Mr. Nowak's parents have called this "an absolute disgrace" and "particularly cruel," noting that her release date is close to the first anniversary of their son's death.
In a new ITV documentary, Mr. Nowak's stepmother, Katie Nowak, stated, "It just doesn't feel fair to us at all. It's another process that we've got to go through. It's another fight that we have to have. It was a very clear verdict. It's not right that he's allowed to do this." His father, Mark Nowak, described the possibility of Digwa overturning his conviction as "shocking" and Kaur's early release as "how on earth can that be right?"
Mr. Nowak's mother, Lucy Ross, expressed her pain, saying, "Mother to mother – she is no mother. We all protect our children, but we also protect our children from right and wrong. But she never did the right thing. She hid the knife, which had Henry's blood on it." She added that Kaur will be able to see her son while she has to visit her son's grave.
Police body-worn footage released after the incident showed officers handcuffing Mr. Nowak as he lay dying. Digwa had falsely claimed to officers that he had been racially abused by the teenager. The footage, which sparked protests, captured Mr. Nowak repeatedly saying, "I've been stabbed."
Several investigations have been launched into Hampshire Police's handling of the killing, including by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The latter is examining potential gross misconduct by two officers and whether race or religion influenced their decision-making. The Home Secretary has also ordered an independent review into the murder.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the distress of the family, stating that the chief constable had apologized and a review of the case handling was underway. The family has appealed for a rethink of the early release scheme, emphasizing the need for victims' feelings to be given greater consideration.
