Solicitor General Refers 21-Year Minimum Term for Southampton Murder to Court of Appeal
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves referred Vickrum Digwa’s life sentence with a 21-year minimum term to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The murder of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak occurred in Southampton in December 2025.
BbcSolicitor General Ellie Reeves referred the 21-year minimum sentence given to Vickrum Digwa for the murder of Henry Nowak to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Digwa received the life sentence on June 1 after he was convicted of stabbing the 18-year-old university student multiple times with a Sikh ceremonial blade in Southampton, England, in December 2025.
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Reeves stated that the case “horrified” her and that she knew the feeling was shared by the British public.
She said difficult questions must be answered about how police handled the incident. “After careful consideration, I have taken the decision to refer this case to the Court of Appeal,” Reeves said. ” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage separately referred the sentence to Attorney General Lord Hermer under the same scheme after public criticism that the term was too lenient.
GB News reported that Digwa told police he had been racially abused by Nowak. The same outlet reported that bodycam footage shows Nowak telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe before losing consciousness, and that Nowak’s hands were placed behind his back and he was handcuffed face down while an officer read him his rights as he died.
The Court of Appeal will decide whether the sentence was unduly lenient and whether it should be increased.
Anyone may refer a sentence for review within 28 days of sentencing.
