Court of Appeal increases minimum term for Henry Nowak's killer from 21 to 25 years

Unbiased summary

Vickrum Digwa, 23, who murdered 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton on 3 December 2023, had his minimum prison term increased from 21 to 25 years by the Court of Appeal on Thursday. Digwa stabbed Nowak multiple times, then filmed him as he lay dying and falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him, leading to Nowak's initial arrest. The Attorney General referred the original sentence as unduly lenient, while Digwa also appealed it as manifestly excessive. Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr ruled the original term was unduly lenient, citing the use of a large knife against an unarmed man and the deliberate cruelty and obstruction of justice that followed. The court deducted 175 days spent on remand, resulting in a minimum term of 24 years and 190 days.

Generated with deepseek-flash (DeepSeek)

Coverage by outlet

The Guardian left

Angle Presents the court's reasoning in detail, emphasising the aggravating factors and the legal justification for the sentence increase.

Bias The Guardian focuses heavily on the judge's criticism of the original sentence, quoting extensively from Lady Chief Justice Carr and the Attorney General's submissions. It provides detailed context about the false racism allegation and the abuse of religious exemption for carrying a knife, but does not include the family's reaction or Digwa's own appeal attempt. The coverage is largely factual but leans toward highlighting the severity of Digwa's actions and the appropriateness of the increased sentence.

Henry Nowak’s killer has sentence extended by court of appeal

The Independent centre-left

Angle Provides a balanced account of the legal proceedings, noting both the Attorney General's referral and Digwa's failed challenge, while emphasising the court's ruling.

Bias The Independent gives a relatively neutral summary, including both the unduly lenient ruling and Digwa's attempt to appeal as manifestly excessive. It quotes the judge's description of the filming as 'incomprehensible cruelty' and notes the religious exemption issue. It omits some of the more detailed aggravating factors mentioned in other outlets, such as the mother's concealment of evidence, but overall stays close to the facts without significant slant.

Henry Nowak's killer has 'unduly lenient' jail sentence increased

GB News right

Angle Focuses on the family's grief and outrage, framing the story as a miscarriage of justice and emphasising the killer's failed appeal and his mother's possible early release.

Bias GB News leads with the sentence increase but quickly pivots to the family's emotional reaction, quoting the stepmother and mother extensively. It highlights Digwa's failed appeal and the possible early release of his mother, Kiran Kaur, as an 'absolute disgrace', which is not part of the core court ruling. The outlet downplays the legal reasoning behind the sentence increase and omits the judge's detailed criticism of the original sentence, instead focusing on the family's sense of injustice.

Henry Nowak's killer has life sentence INCREASED after failed bid to cut it

Henry Nowak’s parents slam killer’s appeal against sentence and call his mother’s early release ‘an absolute disgrace’