Who was Henry Nowak? 18-year-old UK student killed in Southampton stabbing

The man convicted of murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak in a Southampton stabbing has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, received the sentence after a jury found him guilty of the December 2025 killing. Digwa, who carried a 21cm blade he said formed part of his Sikh faith, denied murder and claimed he acted in self-defence, but jurors rejected his account.

Henry was a British-Polish teenager from Chafford Hundred in Essex. He was studying accountancy and finance at the University of Southampton and had recently completed his first term when he was killed.

The attack took place on Belmont Road in Southampton's Portswood area shortly before 11.30pm on December 3, 2025.

Prosecutors said an encounter between the two men escalated after they brushed past one another on the pavement while Henry was returning to his accommodation following a night out.

During the trial, Digwa claimed the teenager appeared intoxicated, became aggressive and used a racial slur. He also alleged that Henry punched him and pulled off his turban before reaching for the blade during the confrontation.

Jurors rejected the self-defence argument and convicted Digwa of murder and possessing a knife in public.

The court heard that Henry suffered multiple stab wounds and tried to flee by climbing over a fence before collapsing.

Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was also found guilty of assisting an offender after prosecutors said she removed the weapon from the scene.

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