A university student was stabbed to death by a Sikh man with armed with a large ceremonial knife. The student was murdered while walking home from a night out in Southampton, a court has heard. Sikhs are allowed to carry ceremonial knives publicly as part of their religious custom.
Police arrived after Henry Nowak, 18, was stabbed and heard from the alleged perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, 23, that Nowak made racial remarks at him. Police then handcuffed Nowak, letting him bleed to death in the street. They attempted first aid after he collapsed, reports the Daily Mail.
"A doctor was flown in by helicopter but there was nothing that could be done to save Henry and he was pronounced dead at 12.37 on the street," said prosecutors. Nowak was stabbed in his legs and lung. Blood and tissue matching the victim was found on Digwa's knife.
"Put simply," said Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, "Henry drowned in his own blood with his lung having been cut by the knife going eight centimetres into him. Vickrum Digwa raises the defence of self defence. He persisted that Henry perpetrated a drunken racist attack. He says he doesn't recall exactly how the fatal wound came to be inflicted."
Digwa is on trial for murder and his mother, Kiran Kauer, is accused of aiding him by removing the weapon from the scene. Both Digwa and Kauer deny guilt. After the murder, Nowak's phone was found in Digwa's possession. IT contained video of the murder.
The court heard Digwa was carrying a 21cm (8 inch) shastar knife in a sheath worn over his clothing, alongside a knife known as a a kirpan worn under his clothes around his neck. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC said Digwa "was carrying an extremely large knife in a sheath openly displayed over his clothing."
Lobbenberg said, “Sikhism obliges male followers of the faith to carry and wear certain items, these include a wooden comb, a metal bangle and what is called a kirpan, a ceremonial knife,” adding, “That small kirpan satisfies any religious obligation a Sikh may have to carry a blade, and Vickrum Digwa was carrying that under his clothing and around his neck.”
Jurors were told Digwa denies murder and carrying a knife in public. His mother, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur, also denies assisting an offender. She allegedly removed the weapon from the scene.
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex and a firstyear accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton, had been out with his football team on the night of the incident. The court heard he had consumed alcohol but remained under the drink-drive limit.
Video evidence shown in court captured him singing and speaking with Digwa, including saying: “Innit bad man, what bad man. You're a bad man, say you're a bad man, go on.” Digwa replied: "I am a bad man."
Prosecutors said that shortly after the exchange, the stabbing occurred. “At half-past midnight that night, Henry was dead, he had been fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa using that knife, the knife that Vickrum Digwa has chosen to carry out on to the street,” Lobbenberg told the court.
Police arrived after Henry Nowak, 18, was stabbed and heard from the alleged perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, 23, that Nowak made racial remarks at him. Police then handcuffed Nowak, letting him bleed to death in the street. They attempted first aid after he collapsed, reports the Daily Mail.
"A doctor was flown in by helicopter but there was nothing that could be done to save Henry and he was pronounced dead at 12.37 on the street," said prosecutors. Nowak was stabbed in his legs and lung. Blood and tissue matching the victim was found on Digwa's knife.
"Put simply," said Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, "Henry drowned in his own blood with his lung having been cut by the knife going eight centimetres into him. Vickrum Digwa raises the defence of self defence. He persisted that Henry perpetrated a drunken racist attack. He says he doesn't recall exactly how the fatal wound came to be inflicted."
Digwa is on trial for murder and his mother, Kiran Kauer, is accused of aiding him by removing the weapon from the scene. Both Digwa and Kauer deny guilt. After the murder, Nowak's phone was found in Digwa's possession. IT contained video of the murder.
"After he had been stabbed," said the prosecutor, "Henry Nowak climbed on to a bin and over a fence to try and escape but he had already been fatally wounded and there was a blood trail on the street which demonstrates that he must have been stabbed before he climbed on to the bin and over the fence. Vikrum Digwa chose to aggressively pursue him."
The court heard Digwa was carrying a 21cm (8 inch) shastar knife in a sheath worn over his clothing, alongside a knife known as a a kirpan worn under his clothes around his neck. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC said Digwa "was carrying an extremely large knife in a sheath openly displayed over his clothing."
Lobbenberg said, “Sikhism obliges male followers of the faith to carry and wear certain items, these include a wooden comb, a metal bangle and what is called a kirpan, a ceremonial knife,” adding, “That small kirpan satisfies any religious obligation a Sikh may have to carry a blade, and Vickrum Digwa was carrying that under his clothing and around his neck.”
Jurors were told Digwa denies murder and carrying a knife in public. His mother, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur, also denies assisting an offender. She allegedly removed the weapon from the scene.
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex and a firstyear accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton, had been out with his football team on the night of the incident. The court heard he had consumed alcohol but remained under the drink-drive limit.
Video evidence shown in court captured him singing and speaking with Digwa, including saying: “Innit bad man, what bad man. You're a bad man, say you're a bad man, go on.” Digwa replied: "I am a bad man."
Prosecutors said that shortly after the exchange, the stabbing occurred. “At half-past midnight that night, Henry was dead, he had been fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa using that knife, the knife that Vickrum Digwa has chosen to carry out on to the street,” Lobbenberg told the court.
