Family of Murdered Student Henry Nowak Says He ‘Did Not Die with Dignity’

The relatives of Henry Nowak, the 18-year-old student who was fatally stabbed, have vowed to bear their sorrow "every single day" for the remainder of their lives. In the wake of the sentencing, the family has urged the government to classify knife crime as a "national emergency."

This plea follows the conviction of Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years. Digwa admitted to stabbing Nowak in Southampton in December with a 21cm (8in) knife, claiming the weapon was carried as part of his Sikh religious observance. However, Digwa misled investigators by falsely alleging he had been the victim of a racist assault. As a result, officers arrested and handcuffed Nowak while he was lying on the ground, dying from his injuries.

The student’s family described this treatment by law enforcement as "inhumane and degrading." Hampshire Police has since issued an apology for their conduct during the incident.

During the proceedings at Southampton Crown Court, Judge William Mousley KC expressed certainty that Nowak had not uttered any racist remarks toward Digwa, the man who killed him. In his sentencing remarks, the judge noted that Digwa’s actions had "stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country," causing significant anxiety among Sikhs regarding their personal safety.

Warning: This article contains details that may be distressing to some readers.

In a poignant statement read in court, Henry’s older sister, Olivia Nowak, described her brother from Chafford Hundred, Essex, as her "best friend" with whom she shared an "unbreakable bond." She explained how his death has irrevocably altered her existence.

"The day we got the knock on the door to say my brother had passed, I don't think there are any words to describe that type of pain. A lot of myself died when he died," Olivia said. She characterized Henry as a "wonderful, funny, handsome, kind, precious, smart boy" who "lit every room he walked in."

Olivia also spoke of the compounded grief of being the eldest of four siblings, watching her younger brothers and sisters mourn their big brother. "Whenever I'm having a hard day, the only place I want to be is at Henry's grave," she said. "It is the place where the reality of his loss hits the hardest but the only place I am close to him." She added, "I feel sad for those who never got to experience life with Henry, even though it was short. If you had known Henry, you would never had hurt him."

A statement from Henry’s mother, Lucy Ross, was also presented by prosecutors. She wrote that learning of her son’s death is an experience no one can fully accept. "The circumstances were so tragic and unimaginable that the pain is beyond anything I knew existed," she said.

Ross highlighted that Henry was the first of her elderly parents' grandchildren to attend university, an achievement that "filled all of us with immense pride." She described him as "ambitious, determined, and full of life," noting that "there will always be a hole in our hearts that can never be repaired."

Henry’s stepmother, Katie Woodcock, recounted the traumatic night of the incident. "I replay the horrors of that night over again. It keeps me awake at night," she told the court. She described witnessing Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, unable to stand, while his "raw, unfiltered sobs" echoed through the home after police informed them of the stabbing and death.

Woodcock also recalled discovering one of her children, aged 10, "curled up at the top of stairs, alone and frightened" after overhearing conversations that revealed the news in the worst possible way. She noted that Henry had joined the family for a pantomime just days before his death. "We waved him off back to Southampton university, back to the city that was not safe for him," she said.

Describing the moment she cleared out Henry’s university room, Woodcock found his advent calendar with only the first three doors opened. "That broke me," she added.

In a family statement released following the sentencing, Mark Nowak addressed the police conduct on the "fateful night," describing the officers' actions as "shocking." However, he emphasized that the family wished to offer their "heartfelt gratitude" to the murder investigation team. "They secured justice for our son and for that our family will be forever grateful," he said. He also extended thanks to the family’s police liaison officers and their legal representatives.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 05:56:45 UTC