A 23-year-old man, Vickrum Digwa, has been found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of murdering 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak in a fatal stabbing incident that took place on 3 December.The court heard that Digwa used a 21cm ceremonial blade, which he said he carried as part of his Sikh faith, during the attack in Southampton.He claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging that the student had insulted him racially, punched him, and knocked off his turban.However, the jury rejected this defence and convicted him of murder.He was also found guilty of carrying a knife in public.Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur, aged 53, was also convicted of assisting an offender after the incident.The court was told that Digwa stabbed Henry Nowak multiple times, including wounds to the legs, face, and a fatal injury to the chest.

Following the attack, he gave the knife to his mother, and police later discovered it at their family home along with more than 20 other Sikh weapons.

Evidence presented in court showed that Digwa initially lied to police, claiming he had been attacked and failing to disclose that Nowak had been seriously injured.Officers were initially misled at the scene and even handcuffed the victim before the severity of his injuries became clear.

Prosecutors stated that the attack was not witnessed, but neighbours heard the victim say he had been stabbed and was dying as he attempted to escape.

Senior police officials later apologised for the arrest of Nowak in the moments before his death, describing the investigation as highly complex and acknowledging that misinformation delayed understanding of the situation.The judge thanked the jury for their service in what was described as a particularly difficult case.Digwa will be sentenced on Monday, while his mother is due to be sentenced in July.