Henry Nowak killer’s bid to reduce murder sentence to be heard

A bid by Henry Nowak’s killer to reduce his life sentence for murdering the university student is set to be heard, as well as the Attorney General’s bid to increase it.

Vickrum Digwa was jailed for at least 21 years in June after stabbing 18-year-old Mr Nowak in Southampton on December 3 last year with a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade.

The killing sparked unrest when police body-worn video was released showing officers handcuffing Mr Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, as he lay dying after Digwa falsely told officers that the teenager had racially abused him.

Digwa, 23, is appealing against the length of his sentence as “manifestly excessive”.

But Attorney General Ellie Reeves has also referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal as “unduly lenient”, with three senior judges set to hear both bids to change the sentence on Thursday.

Speaking to ITV before the hearing, Mr Nowak’s stepmother, Katie Nowak, said Digwa being allowed to challenge his sentence “doesn’t feel fair to us at all”.

She said: “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.”

The hearing before Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Mr Justice Nicklin and Mr Justice Wall is due to begin at 10am at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced last month that an independent review led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk would examine Mr Nowak’s murder, including “any missed opportunities to intervene”.

Several investigations have been launched into Hampshire Police’s handling of the killing since Digwa was sentenced.

In August, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services opened an investigation into the force after a request by police and crime commissioner Donna Jones.

The commissioner said the inspection would cover the “end-to-end process” from call-handling in the control room, dispatch and initial attendance at incidents of serious violence.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct launched an investigation in July into two officers for potential gross misconduct over their interactions with Mr Nowak on the night he was stabbed.

The watchdog is also examining whether race or religion contributed to the officers’ decision-making.

Digwa is separately seeking to overturn his conviction, but a decision has yet to be made on whether to allow that challenge to go ahead.