Vickrum Digwa, the man serving a life sentence for murdering student Henry Nowak, is fighting to overturn both his conviction and his 21-year minimum term. The Court of Appeal confirmed on Friday that Digwa has lodged an appeal, though no date has been set for the hearing.
The move comes weeks after the Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves, referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal as “unduly lenient”. That bid to increase the term also awaits a hearing.
“Vickrum Digwa appeals conviction and 21-year sentence for murdering student Henry Nowak.”
Digwa, 21, was jailed in June for stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton last December. After the attack, he lied to police, claiming he was the victim of a racist assault.
The case ignited national outrage when police body-worn footage was released showing officers handcuffing Henry as he lay dying on the pavement, despite him saying he could not breathe. No first aid was administered for several minutes.
At sentencing, Henry’s father Mark Nowak said the difference between how the killer and his son were treated was “unbearable”. A day later, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there were “serious questions” to answer about the case.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating two officers for potential gross misconduct. One officer is accused of dismissing Henry’s claim that he had been stabbed; both are under scrutiny for failing to provide urgent medical attention and for handcuffing the teenager instead. The watchdog is also examining whether race or religion played a part in their decisions.
Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender for hiding the knife used in the attack. She is due to be sentenced on 17 July.
The bodycam footage, released on 2 June, triggered protests in Southampton that left 12 police officers and a police dog injured. Seventeen people have already been jailed for their role in the disorder.