The mother of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa has been sentenced to prison after a court found she deliberately removed the knife used to kill 18-year-old Henry Nowak, a decision that prosecutors argued obstructed the investigation during its most critical moments.
Kiran Kaur, 53, was handed a three-year prison sentence at Southampton Crown Court after being convicted of assisting an offender by taking the murder weapon away from the scene shortly after her son fatally stabbed Henry in December 2025.
The sentencing marks another significant chapter in one of Britain’s most closely watched murder cases, which sparked widespread public outrage not only because of the fatal stabbing itself, but also because of the confusion that unfolded immediately afterward.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, is already serving a life sentence after being convicted of murdering Henry, an 18-year-old finance student at the University of Southampton. The court ordered that he serve a minimum term of more than two decades before becoming eligible for parole.
His mother’s conviction centers not on the killing itself but on what prosecutors described as a deliberate attempt to interfere with the police investigation by removing the knife before officers could recover it.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Kaur arrived at the scene after the stabbing and took possession of the weapon before returning it to the family home, where it was hidden among a larger collection of ceremonial and other blades.
The knife was not immediately recovered. Instead, investigators later tracked it down after reviewing CCTV footage and carrying out further inquiries. Police ultimately identified it as the murder weapon approximately a week after Henry lost his life.
Judge William Mousley KC said Kaur’s actions went far beyond those of a distressed parent responding to a family emergency.
Delivering sentence, the judge said a responsible parent would have challenged their child over such actions and encouraged them to cooperate with authorities rather than helping conceal evidence.
Instead, he said, Kaur removed the knife and placed it inside her son’s bedroom, where it could have remained hidden had investigators not eventually located it.
The judge added that her conduct strengthened her son’s false version of events, allowing him to continue portraying himself as the victim rather than the attacker.
Those actions, the court heard, contributed to one of the most controversial aspects of the investigation.
Immediately after the stabbing, Digwa falsely claimed that he had been racially abused and attacked by Henry.
Responding officers initially accepted that account while attempting to understand what had happened.
As a result, Henry—despite suffering multiple stab wounds—was handcuffed at the scene before police realized the severity of his injuries.
The teenager was later pronounced dead.
The mistaken arrest quickly became one of the most criticized moments of the investigation and prompted a formal apology from Hampshire Police after public scrutiny intensified.
The incident attracted international attention and fueled widespread debate online, with questions raised about police procedures, evidence gathering and how officers assessed the rapidly evolving situation.
During the murder trial, prosecutors argued that the missing knife played a significant role in creating confusion during those crucial early minutes.
Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told the court that Kaur’s decision to remove the weapon deprived officers of critical evidence while they were already attempting to navigate conflicting accounts of the incident.
He described her actions as “crucial” in hampering the investigation.
According to the prosecution, the absence of the knife contributed to officers being confronted by what they described as “a wall of lies.”
Rather than informing police what she had done, prosecutors said Kaur chose to remain silent while investigators attempted to determine who was responsible.
Lobbenberg argued that the missing weapon helped prolong Digwa’s false narrative that he had acted in self-defense after suffering a racist attack.
The prosecution further contended that Henry died frightened, alone and without being immediately believed because the physical evidence that could have contradicted Digwa’s account had been removed from the scene.
Defense attorney Mark Watson urged the court to impose a suspended sentence instead of immediate imprisonment.
He described Kaur as a devoted mother of five who had previously demonstrated positive character through volunteer work and service within her community.
Her lawyer argued that her actions were driven by emotion rather than criminal intent and highlighted her previously clean record.
Throughout the sentencing hearing, Kaur appeared emotional, dabbing away tears while proceedings were translated through a Punjabi interpreter.
Ultimately, however, the judge concluded that the seriousness of deliberately interfering with a murder investigation justified an immediate custodial sentence.
Following Friday’s sentencing, Henry Nowak’s family released a statement acknowledging the outcome while making clear that they remain dissatisfied with the broader picture surrounding the case.
“While we accept today’s sentencing decision, nonetheless we remain incredibly disappointed,” the family said.
They added that they would continue campaigning for what they believe is the full truth surrounding Henry’s death.
“Our focus is on making sure the ongoing investigations leave no stone unturned as we fight for the full truth about what happened last December,” the statement continued.
The family also renewed calls for wider reforms, saying they would continue urging the government to implement changes in Henry’s memory.
Alongside their statement, relatives released previously unseen photographs showing Henry as a young child, offering another reminder of the teenager whose life ended just months after celebrating his eighteenth birthday.
Henry had been studying finance at the University of Southampton and was walking home after spending the evening with friends from his football team when the fatal confrontation occurred.
Evidence presented during the murder trial showed Digwa stabbed him five times.
Jurors rejected Digwa’s claim that he had acted in self-defense following an alleged racist confrontation.
Instead, they convicted him of murder as well as carrying a knife in public.
Digwa is now seeking permission to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
Meanwhile, separate legal proceedings remain pending involving offensive weapon charges against members of the Digwa family after police discovered numerous bladed weapons during searches connected to the investigation.
Prosecutors have emphasized that Kaur’s sentence should send a clear message that anyone who deliberately assists a murderer after a violent crime can expect to face criminal consequences.
Kelly Newman of the Crown Prosecution Service said Digwa attempted to mislead police immediately after carrying out the fatal attack, while Kaur made a conscious decision to help him by removing vital evidence.
She said those who assist murderers in avoiding justice should understand they too will be held accountable for their actions.
Although one phase of the legal process has now concluded, Henry Nowak’s family insists their search for answers is far from over.
With appeals continuing and additional investigations still underway, they say their determination remains unchanged—to ensure every aspect of the case is fully examined and that Henry’s memory continues to drive calls for accountability and reform.
