London, Jun 1 (PTI) A 23-year-old British Sikh man, convicted of stabbing a teenage student to death in Southampton, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday as the judge noted that the case had “stirred up racial tension” across the UK.
At a hearing at Southampton Crown Court, Judge William Mousley ruled that Vickrum Digwa must serve a minimum term of 21 years behind bars before he can be considered for parole as he sentenced him for the murder of 18-year-old Southampton University student Henry Nowak.
Alluding to the debate the case had triggered around the kirpan, the judge referenced the “fundamental principle” of Sikhism that such an item should “never be carried for an offensive purpose”.
“You have brought shame upon your family and your religion,” court reports quoted the judge as saying.
“Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their safety,” he said.
The court heard that Digwa was carrying a large dagger in a belt, while a kirpan worn by observant Sikhs is “generally a small knife hidden from view”.
“You Vickrum Digwa murdered him (Nowak). You have brought misery and a lifetime of loss upon his family and great sadness to everyone who knew him,” the judge was quoted as saying.
In his defence, Digwa had claimed being racially threatened by Nowak, which led Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary officers to initially handcuff the victim when they first arrived at the scene of the crime in December last year.
“I am sure that Henry said nothing racist. You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character,” the judge stated.
The murder trial, which concluded with the jury’s guilty verdict last week, led many British Sikh groups to appeal against the kirpan being “unfairly” targeted.
Sikh Federation UK issued a statement on Monday to say that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) should have made clear during the trial that the weapon used by Digwa was not a kirpan.
“The murder weapon is of Persian origin and known by an entirely different name. It is not a Sikh ceremonial knife, as many like Reform continue to describe,” reads a statement.
The City Sikhs Foundation had also appealed against the unfair targeting of an entire community for the actions of a “single criminal individual”.
“The kirpan is a symbolic article of faith for Sikhs initiated into the Khalsa tradition. It is a constant reminder to Sikhs of the need to defend the most vulnerable in society, and it has been worn responsibly in Britain for generations,” the charity stated.
According to court reports from Southampton, there was an altercation in court between members of the family on both sides requiring police intervention.
“Instead of being treated as a dying victim, police formally arrested Henry for assault and read him his rights. That was the last thing he heard,” the victim’s father, Mark Nowak, told reporters outside the court following the verdict.
“Let us be clear. We hold Vickrum Digwa solely responsible for the brutal murder of our son. But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody,” he said.
The police force has since issued a formal apology and is now facing an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation. The victim’s family has called on UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to ensure a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation. PTI AK GSP GSP
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