The family of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak has spoken of their continuing grief following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa, 23, for his murder in Southampton in December.Digwa was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years after fatally stabbing Henry with a 21cm blade.During the trial, the court heard that Digwa falsely claimed he had been the victim of a racist attack.The judge concluded that Henry had not made any racist remarks before the attack.Digwa’s actions also led to wider concerns and tensions within the Sikh community, which publicly condemned the killing.The case attracted additional scrutiny because police officers initially treated Henry as a suspect.After accepting Digwa’s false account, officers arrested and handcuffed Henry while he was critically injured.Henry’s family described this treatment as inhumane, degrading and deeply distressing.Hampshire Police has apologised, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating officers’ actions.Senior police officials have acknowledged mistakes and pledged to implement recommendations arising from the investigation.In emotional statements presented to the court, Henry’s relatives described the devastating impact of his death.

His sister Olivia called him her best friend, while his mother, Lucy Ross, spoke of the immense pride the family felt when he became the first grandchild to attend university.His stepmother recounted the trauma experienced by the family after receiving news of the stabbing.Following the sentencing, the family called on the government to treat knife crime as a national emergency.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones also urged an urgent review of laws governing the carrying of bladed articles for religious or ceremonial purposes, arguing that greater legal clarity is needed.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the case as awful and shocking and reiterated the need to tackle knife crime.