EXCLUSIVE: Vickrum Digwa, 23, has applied for leave to appeal against his conviction and reduce his 21-year sentence for murdering Henry Nowak, 18, the Court of Appeal has confirmed
Henry Nowak’s killer has launched a bid to have his conviction quashed and his sentence reduced.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life last month with a minimum 21-year term after being convicted of murdering Henry, 18, following a trial. The case was later referred to the Court of Appeal by the solicitor general with a view to increasing the sentence.
It can now be revealed that lawyers for Digwa have lodged a bid with the same court to quash his conviction and reduce the jail term. The news will come as a blow to Henry’s family who called for calm after a video was released of the student being arrested by police as he lay dying.
Henry was repeatedly stabbed in the street with a 8in blade which Digwa claimed he was carrying because of his Sikh faith. The killer told police that it was Henry who had been the aggressor, claiming the student had racially abused him.
A Court of Appeal official confirmed on Thursday that Digwa’s case had previously been referred to them as “unduly lenient”. They added: “This person has also recently lodged an application for leave to appeal conviction and sentence.”
A single appeal court judge will now decide if Digwa should be given the opportunity to appeal. If he is, the case will be heard by three judges sitting at the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.
Digwa was jailed by Judge William Mousley KC at Southampton Crown Court on June 1. After the sentencing, Henry’s dad Mark Nowak said it was “unbearable” to see how his son had been treated by police in comparison with his killer, but he went on to say: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.”
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC MP said two weeks later that she hoped her referral request to increase the sentence would help to bring justice to Nowak’s family. Henry was initially arrested and handcuffed by police as he lay dying during the incident on December 3. It took officers eight minutes to realise he had been stabbed in the heart.
Digwa falsely told police on the scene that his victim had attacked and racially abused him. In police body-worn video, the student, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, can be heard repeatedly telling officers that he had been stabbed and could not breathe.
The footage, which was released following the sentencing, sparked violent protests in Southampton on June 2. Two officers are being investigated for potential gross misconduct. The Independent Office for Police Conduct said this week that evidence suggested the pair may have breached professional standards.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who previously described it as an “awful, shocking case”, met members of Henry’s family at Downing Street on June 4. Afterwards, Sir Keir said he had been “profoundly humbled” by the meeting and that Henry deserved “a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy”.