A woman has been jailed for three years after a jury found she removed the knife used to kill 18-year-old student Henry Nowak and took it back to the family home on the night of the killing.
Conviction and sentence
The defendant, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur of St Denys Road, Southampton, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of assisting an offender. The offence related to the events of 3 December 2025, when the weapon was taken from the scene and later placed among other items at her son’s home.
Jurors had also convicted Kaur’s son, Vickrum Digwa, of murder and carrying a knife in public following a trial in May. Digwa was given a life term with a minimum tariff of 21 years at an earlier hearing on 1 June.
Court findings and evidence
The sentencing judge, William Mousley KC, told Kaur that a responsible parent would have challenged their child and encouraged them to do the right thing, but that she instead removed and concealed the blade. The judge said her behaviour had helped to conceal what the weapon had been used for and to support her son’s false narrative that he had been the victim.
“A responsible parent would have challenged their son over their actions and encourage them to do the right thing.”
Prosecutors told the court the defendant took the dagger back to a property on Belmont Road and placed it with a larger collection of ceremonial and other weapons in her son’s bedroom. Police later recovered the knife after reviewing CCTV footage; forensic examination established it as the murder weapon about a week after the killing, the court heard.
Prosecutor and court remarks
The prosecutor described Kaur’s role as pivotal in removing the weapon at a time when officers were en route to the scene. The absence of the knife, it was argued, hindered investigators and contributed to the victim’s distress at the point of arrest. The judge also said her conduct added to the “degradation of Henry being arrested when he was dying”.
- Defendant: Kiran Kaur, aged 53, of St Denys Road, Southampton
- Offence: Assisting an offender by removing and concealing a murder weapon
- Sentence: Three years’ imprisonment
- Related conviction: Son Vickrum Digwa convicted of murder; minimum term 21 years
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of killing | 3 December 2025 |
| Sentence date | Sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Friday |
The case highlights the criminal consequences of interfering with evidence in a homicide investigation and demonstrates how non‑violent offenders can face substantial custodial sentences for actions that impede justice. The convictions were returned following a full trial process in which jurors were presented with CCTV and forensic evidence linking the knife to the killing.
The presiding judge emphasised the moral as well as legal responsibilities of a parent in such circumstances while addressing the courtroom before passing sentence.
