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Man who said he carried knife as part of Sikh faith guilty of murdering Southampton student
theguardian ^ | May 28 | Steven Morris

Posted on 05/28/2026 6:15:13 AM PDT by RandFan

A man has been found guilty of murdering a university student with a 21cm-long knife that he said he was carrying for religious reasons.

When police arrived at the scene in Southampton, Vickrum Digwa, 23, claimed his victim, 18-year-old Henry Nowak, had racially abused him and knocked his turban off, prompting police to handcuff the teenager before they discovered his fatal wounds.

After the verdict, Hampshire police apologised for handcuffing Nowak and said the watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), was investigating.

Robert France, the force’s deputy chief constable, said: “This case is an absolute tragedy. I’m sorry that Henry’s life couldn’t be saved that night, and I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested. He was the victim.”

Asked whether a fear of being perceived as racist played a part in the officers’ decision to arrest Nowak, he responded: “There’s an ongoing investigation by the IOPC, which will look into all of the information available to officers, their accounts of the decisions they made and why they made those decisions. At Southampton crown court, Digwa’s legal team said he had acted in self-defence and only carried the knife because of his Sikh faith.

Jeremy Wainwright KC, for Digwa, said: “He carried that knife in the same way that he does every day in his life: as part of his religion.”

Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, for the prosecution, dismissed the racism allegation as a “wicked lie”. He told the jury Digwa was wearing a small kirpan (a ceremonial sword or dagger worn by initiated Sikhs) under his clothing around his neck – which the barrister said satisfied his religious obligation – but chose also to carry the much larger blade.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
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1 posted on 05/28/2026 6:15:13 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

“and I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested. He was the victim.”

So who lost their job?
Who is being prosecuted for depraved indifference?

That’s right.

No one.

L


2 posted on 05/28/2026 6:18:04 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: All

They also convicted his mom

“Jurors found Digwa guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place. They also convicted Kaur, following the two and a half week trial.”


3 posted on 05/28/2026 6:18:51 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

Sikhs carry a ceremonial knife. Does not give them the right to use it on people.


4 posted on 05/28/2026 6:18:54 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative. )
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To: RandFan

Sikhs randomly kill.

It’s part of their faith.


5 posted on 05/28/2026 6:19:45 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: RandFan

What will be the sentence?


6 posted on 05/28/2026 6:21:06 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: RandFan

My faith requires me to carry an AR-15 at all times...


7 posted on 05/28/2026 6:21:32 AM PDT by SecondAmendment (Political insight on loan from Rush Limbaugh)
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To: SecondAmendment

My faith requires I carry a tactical nuclear weapon.


8 posted on 05/28/2026 6:22:13 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: dfwgator

He will be brought back at a later date for sentencing. It’s up to the judge

Given his lies throughout and his mom’s conviction, I would expect a long sentence


9 posted on 05/28/2026 6:23:07 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

We’ll see.


10 posted on 05/28/2026 6:23:31 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: RandFan

The police officers need to be convicted of accessory after the fact. They were responsible for his death.


11 posted on 05/28/2026 6:24:06 AM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: RandFan

Butt, butt, butt he was called a racist name and stuff. ALLEGEDLY!


12 posted on 05/28/2026 6:25:45 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? On hold! Enlisted USN 1967 proudly. 🚫💉! 🇮🇱🙏! Winning currently!)
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To: All

Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, for the prosecution, dismissed Digwa’s racism allegation a “wicked lie”.
<><>He told the jury Digwa was wearing a small kirpan (a ceremonial sword or dagger)
<><>this is worn by initiated Sikhs under clothing around the neck –
<><>this hidden blade satisfied his religious obligation –
<><>but “peace-loving” Digwa chose also to carry the much larger blade
<><>an intimidating blade carried visibly on his person.
<><>Digwa’s larger blade was used to stab the victim to death.


13 posted on 05/28/2026 6:25:55 AM PDT by Liz (Winston Churchill: “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”)
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To: dfwgator

Just had a look. Minimum term for this conviction is 25 years.

I hope the judge adds to that because of his lies


14 posted on 05/28/2026 6:27:32 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

This one struck me as weird... I’ve only met a couple of Sikh and they didn’t strike me as the kind of people to fly off the handle like this.

I guess there are problems with any demographic.


15 posted on 05/28/2026 6:27:44 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: RandFan

Wherever they go in the world they cause death and destruction


16 posted on 05/28/2026 6:28:19 AM PDT by butlerweave (Fateh)
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To: SecondAmendment

AMEN.


17 posted on 05/28/2026 6:28:27 AM PDT by drwoof
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To: Lurker

No one on that side of the pond, no one on our side of the pond.

It does kind of make you wonder what the point of having laws/government really is...


18 posted on 05/28/2026 6:28:49 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: Dead Corpse

I’ve only met a couple of Sikh


That’s the key, “a couple”, in small numbers they are fine. When their numbers reach a certain percentage, their true nature comes out.


19 posted on 05/28/2026 6:29:16 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: RandFan

Hang this animal in the town square. Tonight. Britains should do it themselves if authorities refuse.


20 posted on 05/28/2026 6:30:19 AM PDT by montag813
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