A 999 call played in court revealed the brother of murder suspect Vickrum Digwa told emergency operators that his family had just been attacked in what he described as a racially motivated incident before 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak died from stab wounds in Southampton.
“We just been attacked by someone racially,” Digwa’s brother said in the call played to jurors, according to Independent media outlet The Southampton Times. “We just got attacked racially by some white person.” He added: “Physically attacked my brother we're Sikhs, we wear turbans, and he attacked my brother."
Southampton Crown Court also viewed video footage taken after the incident, including clips showing Nowak attempting to climb over a fence as prosecutors allege he had already been stabbed.
A video shown to jurors captured Digwa and his brother accusing Nowak of racially and verbally abusing Digwa in the aftermath of the confrontation. Mr Nowak could reportedly be heard denying those claims.
In one clip, Digwa was heard telling him: “No one stabbed you bro you’re... up. You’re drunk.” A second video played in court included Digwa’s father saying, “He’s pretending, a minute ago he was talking to you guys.”
“Now he’s trying to get up and going to leave.” Throughout the footage, Nowak was seen lying on the ground while Digwa’s family members and nearby residents told him to sit upright.
Prosecutors allege Nowak was stabbed by Digwa, 23, while walking home after a night out on December 3, 2025. Nowak, a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton from Chafford Hundred in Essex, had been out with his football team and had consumed alcohol earlier in the evening.
“Put simply,” prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told jurors, “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.” Cops were called to the scene and arrested Nowak over claims that he had racially abused Digwa. Nowak was handcuffed and passed out shortly before dying in the street.
The court heard Digwa was carrying a 21cm shastar knife in a sheath over his clothing, as well as a kirpan worn beneath his clothes around his neck. 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.”
He added, “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 that after being stabbed, Nowak managed to climb onto a bin and over a fence in an apparent attempt to flee. “After he had been stabbed,” Lobbenberg said, “Henry Nowak climbed on to a bin and over a fence to try and escape but he had already been fatally wounded.”
Digwa denies murder and possessing a knife in public. His mother, Kiran Kaur, denies assisting an offender after allegedly removing the weapon from the scene, reported the Daily Mail.
“We just been attacked by someone racially,” Digwa’s brother said in the call played to jurors, according to Independent media outlet The Southampton Times. “We just got attacked racially by some white person.” He added: “Physically attacked my brother we're Sikhs, we wear turbans, and he attacked my brother."
Southampton Crown Court also viewed video footage taken after the incident, including clips showing Nowak attempting to climb over a fence as prosecutors allege he had already been stabbed.
A video shown to jurors captured Digwa and his brother accusing Nowak of racially and verbally abusing Digwa in the aftermath of the confrontation. Mr Nowak could reportedly be heard denying those claims.
In one clip, Digwa was heard telling him: “No one stabbed you bro you’re... up. You’re drunk.” A second video played in court included Digwa’s father saying, “He’s pretending, a minute ago he was talking to you guys.”
“Now he’s trying to get up and going to leave.” Throughout the footage, Nowak was seen lying on the ground while Digwa’s family members and nearby residents told him to sit upright.
Prosecutors allege Nowak was stabbed by Digwa, 23, while walking home after a night out on December 3, 2025. Nowak, a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton from Chafford Hundred in Essex, had been out with his football team and had consumed alcohol earlier in the evening.
“Put simply,” prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told jurors, “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.” Cops were called to the scene and arrested Nowak over claims that he had racially abused Digwa. Nowak was handcuffed and passed out shortly before dying in the street.
The court heard Digwa was carrying a 21cm shastar knife in a sheath over his clothing, as well as a kirpan worn beneath his clothes around his neck. 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.”
He added, “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 that after being stabbed, Nowak managed to climb onto a bin and over a fence in an apparent attempt to flee. “After he had been stabbed,” Lobbenberg said, “Henry Nowak climbed on to a bin and over a fence to try and escape but he had already been fatally wounded.”
Digwa denies murder and possessing a knife in public. His mother, Kiran Kaur, denies assisting an offender after allegedly removing the weapon from the scene, reported the Daily Mail.
