‘DESTROYED TWO FAMILIES’ 

Gran of Henry Nowak’s killer brands him a ‘difficult boy’ – and defends ‘heartbroken’ mum who hid murder weapon

THE gran of Henry Nowak’s killer has spoken out to brand the murderer a “difficult” boy and defend his mum for hiding the murder weapon.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, knifed 18-year-old Henry five times in a random street attack as the teenager made his way home from a night out.

‘Weapons obsessed’ Vickrum Digwa stabbed Henry five timesCredit: AP
 

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Digwa’s mum, Kiran Kaur, hid the knife in the aftermath of the bloody attackCredit: PA
When police arrived on the scene in Southampton, Hampshire, the sick killer accused his innocent victim of making racist remarks, prompting police to arrest Henry as he lay dying.

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after he was found guilty of murder and carrying a knife in public.

His mum Kiran Kaur, 53, was convicted of assisting an offender after hiding the murder weapon at the family home.

The murderer’s gran has now spoken out – saying the case has destroyed two families as she described Digwa as “difficult”.

Henry was handcuffed by responding police officers as he lay dying in the streetCredit: PA
 

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Henry told an officer he had been stabbed but wasn’t initially believedCredit: AFP
 

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Digwa reportedly regularly carried a knife with himCredit: PA
 

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Hundreds of people turned out to protest the way Henry was treated in his final momentsCredit: PA
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Digwa’s gran said that the family are living in fear of reprisals for her grandson’s actions, with some family members now in hiding.

Bimla Kaur, 75, also defended Digwa’s mum for helping cover up the brutal stabbing by hiding the murder weapon.

Digwa’s gran said Kiran Kaur was only doing what any mum would do to protect her child.

Speaking at her home in Southampton, Hampshire, she said: “We are in a hard situation because we still have to support him [Digwa] but at the same time our hearts are broken and I’m very sorry for what’s happened.”

She added that her family belonged to a martial sect of the Sikh faith that prides itself on the use of weapons.

However, she said that Digwa had abused the heritage her family share as “commandos” of the religion.

She said: “These weapons are not meant to be used on the innocent, so something has gone wrong. He’s done a very bad thing – there’s no argument over that”.

As a member of the Nihangs, an order of Sikhism that formed to protect the religion, Digwa regularly practised with an array of weapons.

Nihangs developed a fearsome reputation on the battlefield and expertise with weapons such as swords, knives and spears – earning the title of the “army of Sikhism”.

Digwa’s gran said: “Most of the men in this family are Nihangs and so is Vickrum. As a Nihang, Vickrum was devoted to that way of life. It meant everything to him”.

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When Henry told cops he had been stabbed one responded ‘I don’t think you have mate’Credit: PA

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Digwa told officers he had been racially abused by HenryCredit: PA

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage vowed to write to the Attorney General to ask for Digwa’s sentence to be toughenedCredit: YouTube

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During the protests a breakaway group began chucking glass bottles, bins, stones and cans at officersCredit: AFP
She went on to say that despite being proud of the warrior heritage Digwa had, he was a difficult boy – something that isn’t unusual for children born in Britain, according to Bimla.

The killer’s gran added that she had been saddened by calls for the Kirpan, a dagger carried by Sikhs, to be banned.

According to the 75-year-old, Digwa’s dad and brother have been forced into hiding after protests erupted in Southampton in the wake of Henry’s death.

She added that they are considering leaving the city completely, with the whole family reportedly now living in fear.

After visiting Digwa’s mum in prison, Bimla said she was doing well, and added that protecting her son in the aftermath of the killing was what any mum would do.

She said that Kaur was very proud of Digwa and his brother for becoming Nihangs and added that she had done a good job raising the two boys.

Digwa’s mum married his dad in India in 1995 after the pairing was arranged by relatives.

The couple came to Britain soon after and set up their home in Southampton before having two sons.

Digwa regularly practised Gatka, a Nihang martial art, and would help teach youngsters to fight at the Gurdwara close to his home.

While living in Southampton he amassed a large number of weapons, some illegal and some permitted.

In court he was described as “weapons obsessed” and he would reportedly wear his weapons proudly during Sikh festivals and when visiting the Gurdwara.

It has since emerged that Nowak’s murderer was already known to police after allegedly stealing £1,000 worth of Sikh ceremonial knives.

Digwa was arrested after being accused of theft by his local temple in 2023 – two years before killing the tragic first year student.

He was later released without charge by cops two years before he murdered Henry after he allegedly stole “shaster” knives from his local Sikh temple.

The incident saw him banned from the Gurdwara, with the alleged theft reported to Hampshire Police.

Digwa had been wearing a traditional kirpan knife under his clothing regularly, but the weapon he used to kill Henry was much larger and was worn on top of his clothes.

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The killing sparked outrage in SouthamptonCredit: AFP

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In the days after Digwa’s sentencing bricks, bottles and bins were hurled at riot copsCredit: Getty
In the aftermath of the killing, which sparked outrage in Southampton, Reform UK leader Farage praised Henry’s family for reacting in such a “dignified way”, but said Brits are living in a “two-tier culture”.

Farage vowed to write to the Attorney General to ask for Digwa’s sentence to be toughened.

He said: “He was actually treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder.

“We’re living in a two-tier culture in this country where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities.”

The Reform leader continued: “Henry’s family have responded to this in just the most extraordinarily dignified way, but I suggest the rest of us respond to this with pure cold cold rage. This is wrong.”

Hampshire Police is currently being investigated by the IOPC, the police watchdog, over Henry’s arrest.

It comes after shocking bodycam footage showed police ignoring the tragic teen’s pleas for help and handcuffing him as his Sikh killer told lies.

Henry can be heard telling officers several times he had been stabbed – only for one to say, “I don’t think you have, mate”.

The teenager was even heard in the clip saying, “I can’t breathe” as he lay dying in the street.

There were four officers present at the scene at the time of Henry’s arrest – one of whom has now resigned.

In the days after Digwa’s sentencing bricks, bottles and bins were hurled at riot cops in vicious clashes after a protest over Henry’s murder turned violent.

Hundreds of demonstrators had initially gathered peacefully outside a police station, waving Union Jacks and chanting “I can’t breathe”.

But, as the protests continued into the night, a breakaway group began chucking glass bottles, bins, stones and cans at officers.

Police confirmed this morning two people had been arrested following the ugly scenes in the St Denys area where Henry was killed.

CRE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39303213/henry-nowak-killer-gran-defends/