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MANCHESTER, England (CN) — Vickrum Digwa, the British Sikh man jailed for murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak and two members of his family, pleaded not guilty Thursday to multiple weapons offenses in a case tied to one of Britain’s most politically charged killings in recent years.
Digwa, 23, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in southern England and denied six counts of possessing offensive weapons in a private place.
His father, Moga Singh, 52, pleaded not guilty to the same six charges.
Digwa’s brother, Gurpreet Digwa, 27, denied 10 weapons charges, including six counts of possessing offensive weapons in a private place, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, possessing a prohibited weapon and two counts of possessing a knife in a public place.
The proceedings add to a growing number of criminal cases arising from the Dec. 3, 2025, killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, whose death became a national flashpoint over policing and race.
Digwa was sentenced in June to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years after a jury convicted him of murder.
The case sparked violent protests across Southampton after body camera footage showed police handcuffing the fatally wounded teenager instead of immediately treating him. Nowak repeatedly said he had been stabbed and could not breathe; police accepted Digwa’s false claim that he had been the victim of a racist assault.
The footage fueled accusations of unequal policing and drew criticism from Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform UK party, who called for “pure, cold rage,” despite Nowak’s father, Mark, urging that the tragedy not be exploited for political gain. He pleaded, “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.”
Demonstrators first gathered outside the city center police station before crowds moved toward the Digwa family home. Protesters threw trash cans, chairs and other objects at officers as police struggled to contain crowds.
Authorities charged 28 people in connection with the disorder, which left 11 police officers and a police dog injured.
Senior U.S. officials also weighed in, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, who blamed Nowak’s death on what he called the “mass invasion of migrants” despite Digwa being born in Britain.
Elon Musk repeatedly criticized the police response on X and offered to fund a private prosecution against the police, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to accuse him of trying to “whip up division.”
The private weapons charges involve knuckledusters, flick knives, swords, machetes and kusaris. The public offenses include an air rifle, an axe and a ceremonial kirpan knife. Digwa used a kirpan to kill Nowak.
All of the offenses date to Dec. 4, 2025, the day after Digwa killed Nowak.
The Court of Appeal confirmed that Digwa is seeking permission to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
A single judge will first decide whether to grant permission for a full hearing before a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, one of England and Wales’ senior appeals courts.
His appeal bid comes weeks after the solicitor general referred Digwa’s minimum term to the Court of Appeal as potentially unduly lenient in an effort to increase the time he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.
District Judge Henry Gordon scheduled a trial for Sept. 27, 2027, with a case management hearing set for June 4, 2027.
The case has also prompted an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the watchdog that oversees serious complaints against police forces in England and Wales.
The watchdog is investigating two Hampshire police officers for potential gross misconduct after concluding there is evidence they may have failed to recognize Nowak needed urgent medical care, arrested and handcuffed him instead of providing first aid and dismissed his repeated pleas for help.
Separate proceedings involving Digwa’s family are also continuing.
His mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was convicted of assisting an offender after hiding the knife used in the killing and is due to be sentenced on July 17 at Southampton Crown Court.
Courthouse News reporter James Francis Whitehead is based in England.
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