Murder of Henry Nowak

Henry Nowak was an 18-year-old Polish British^[2][3] student in his first year studying accountancy at the University of Southampton. He grew up in Chafford Hundred, Essex.^[4]

On the evening of 3 December 2025, some time before 11:30 pm, Nowak was walking in the area of Belmont Road in the Portswood suburb of Southampton.^[5] Digwa alleged that Nowak was drunk and "barged" into him. Nowak had drunk less than the drink-drive limit.^[6] Video recovered from Nowak's phone captured Nowak saying "Hello car" and singing to himself before yawning, then Digwa walking away. Nowak then said: "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", and Nowak said "Are you a b....", before the footage ends.^[7][8]

Digwa then stabbed Nowak five times,^[9] including a fatal wound to the chest and additional wounds to his legs using the 21-cm (8 inch) blade he was carrying.^[10] The weapon was initially reported to be a kirpan, a smaller ceremonial knife that Digwa was later found to still be wearing around his neck.^[11][12] Neighbours called the police after hearing Nowak calling out that he had been stabbed and was dying; there were no eyewitnesses.^[13]

Prosecutors said that Nowak tried to get away by climbing onto a bin and then over a fence. He had already suffered fatal injuries; a blood trail on the street indicated he was stabbed before attempting to escape.^[14] Digwa's parents arrived at the scene before police, and Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, took the murder weapon and hid it at their home.^[12]

Police interviewed both men. Digwa stated that Nowak had started a drunken fight and racially abused him. Police then handcuffed Nowak, who told the police that he had been stabbed, only to be told he had not been.^[15] Nowak's last words were "Please, brother, I can't breathe."^[12] When Nowak collapsed they administered first aid, but Nowak died on the scene at 12:37 am.^[12]

At Southampton Crown Court Digwa pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, manslaughter, and carrying a knife in public. Judge William Mousley instructed the jury to consider manslaughter as an alternative to murder, explaining that if a person did not intentionally cause the fatal injury or did not intend to kill or cause serious harm, then they would not be guilty of murder.^[16] Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was charged with assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene; she plead not guilty.

Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told the jury that during the evening, Nowak's blood alcohol level was below the drink-driving limit and that he had been filming a Snapchat video which captured Digwa prior to the stabbing. The video footage was shown to the jury. Lobbenberg told the jury that the killing was not witnessed by anyone other than Nowak and Digwa, and that after the stabbing, Digwa had "chose to aggressively pursue" Nowak.^[8] In court, when asked why he had not told the police that he stabbed Nowak, Digwa said he was scared because it was the "first time anything like this had ever happened". He alleged that Nowak had earlier threatened him with racist remarks and then began recording him on a phone, and that a fight broke out after he grabbed the phone. Digwa said he acted in self-defence. He further testified that his mother, Kaur, along with his father arrived at the scene and took the kirpan back to their family home. Defence barristers told the jury they had to consider whether Digwa had acted "in the heat of the moment".^[17][10]

On 27 May, the jury retired to consider a verdict.^[18] On 28 May 2026, it rejected the claims of self-defence and Digwa was found guilty of murder, and Kaur guilty of assisting an offender. Digwa is to be sentenced on 1 June and Kaur on 17 July.^[19][20]

Robert Jenrick of Reform UK brought up the incident in the House of Commons. He called it a scandal, asked if the Home Secretary would say what she is doing to investigate the police conduct, and asked for a debate on what he called "two-tier policing".^[21]

The Supreme Sikh Council, an umbrella organisation representing Sikh community leaders across the UK, announced that they would convene to review safeguards around the carrying of ceremonial knives, alongside a strengthened educational campaign on Sikh responsibilities.^[22]

Temporary deputy chief constable Robert France of Hampshire Constabulary said: "The facts heard in court should leave no doubt in anyone's mind who was lying to officers that night, and why we didn't immediately understand what had happened."^[23]

Elon Musk offered to fund a wrongful death lawsuit and a private prosecution against the police officers who responded.^[24][25]

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