Sikh man murdered Brit student with 8.2 inch ceremonial sword screaming ‘I’m a bad man’

Vickrum Digwa was convicted of the murder of Henry Nowak, 18, after lying to police that he was the victim of a racist attack and that he had stabbed Nowak in self-defence with a kirpan ceremonial knife

A Sikh man has been convicted of the murder of an 18-year-old university student, whom he fatally stabbed with a Sikh kirpan ceremonial knife featuring a 21cm (8.2inch) blade.

Vickrum Digwa spun a “wicked lie” to police, claiming he was the victim of a racist attack after he stabbed finance student Henry Nowak, from Chaffod Hundred, Essex, five times in an incident on Belmont Road, Southampton, on December 3, 2025.

He was caught on camera by his victim declaring “I am a bad man” just moments before the knife assault, which included two stab wounds to the back of Mr Nowak’s legs and a lethal wound to his heart.

The 23-year-old was also found guilty of carrying a bladed weapon in public and his mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was convicted of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene.

While giving evidence, the defendant told the court that Mr Nowak, who he described as drunk, had racially abused him before punching him and knocking off his turban.

He claimed he had stabbed Mr Nowak in the back of his legs in self-defence after Mr Nowak had threatened him and grabbed his hair, but said he hadn’t realised at the time that he had inflicted the fatal chest wound.

However, the prosecution argued that Digwa had spun a “wicked lie” to the police who arrived at the scene, telling them he had been the victim of a racist attack.

He also “lied” by telling officers that he hadn’t stabbed Mr Nowak despite the student’s cries for help as he informed the police that he was injured.

This resulted in the officers arresting Mr Nowak and handcuffing him moments before he collapsed, fell unconscious, and tragically died despite their attempts to administer first aid.

Tech tycoon Elon Musk posted an offer on X to finance a private prosecution against the police, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct is probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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