Henry Nowak’s killer facing tense days behind bars with ‘target on back’ | UK | News

The brute who stabbed Henry Nowak to death may be a target in prison after he was jailed for life for murder. This is according to some former inmates who have spoken about what treatment Vickrum Digwa can expect behind bars.

Digwa, 23, stabbed Henry, 18, five times, but falsely claimed the Southampton university student had racially abused him and knocked his turban off. This led to Henry being arrested and handcuffed by officers who initially failed to spot his fatal injuries — despite the lad repeatedly pleading “I can’t breathe” as he lay dying in handcuffs.

Footage released by the police, with permission from Henry’s family, has led to ugly protests, after the video showed an officer telling the youngster “I don’t think you have mate” after the victim reported being stabbed.

Last night, multiple people were arrested after bricks, bottles and bins were hurled at riot police after violent protests erupted in Southampton, the city where Henry was killed at the hands of Digwa after a night out in December 2025.

Digwa, who had a “weapon obsession”, was sentenced to life for murdering Henry with a “large Sikh dagger” and he will be eligible for parole in 20 years.

And as Digwa settles into his life sentence, we asked some former inmates what he can expect on the inside. One ex-prisoner who has been following the case is Francesca Fattore who once had an adjoining cell to the UK’s most hated mum inside the notorious HMP Bronzefield — currently the home of baby killer Lucy Letby.

And speaking about what Digwa can expect, Francesca, who was there on drug offences, told us: “I think he will be a huge target because of all the riots. I think people will want to get him.

“He will be protected though, the prison won’t want another death on their hands. Men are so different to women — they don’t talk, they act.

“Obviously this is all my opinion, not facts. I think he will either not care at all and have the biggest attitude ever, or I think he will be petrified, definitely no inbetween.”

Another ex-inmate also speculated on the mindset of Digwa — and how this could have a bearing on how he handles prison. Ricky Killeen, who once served time in ‘Monster Mansion’ HMP Frankland for his part in a machete attack, spoke about Digwa on his Behind the Bars YouTube channel.

The reformed criminal said: “But now Digwa has got to face prison inside the system. He’s now got to face up to what could happen to him inside.

“But he will be going inside of a high-security prison. And he, if he’s not someone who’s already involved in that sort of lifestyle or that world or doesn’t know anybody inside of prison, then he’s in for a shock when he gets inside the high security prison estate.

“But he might be prone to some prison justice.”

Despite Francesca and Ricky believing Digwa may be a target, another former prisoner, Rich Jones, offered an alternative perspective. Rich is a former British Army veteran who served seven years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

He is now a published author of his Long Lost Soldier series and he believes the Digwa case is more about anger towards the police, as opposed to any potential repercussions for the killer behind bars.

He said: “I think one of the biggest things on this one, yes he lied about the situation and tried to pull the race card, but it’s how the police responded isn’t it.

“I’m not going to stand here and publicly slate the police because I believe there has been one resignation already. But this is how it was handled by the police.”

He added: “So how will he be treated in a high-security prison for murder? I think with any of these cases, with it being a massively high profile case, and with the instability of how things seem to be in the country at the minute, there’s a lot of political stuff going on, he will just be treated the same as anyone else.

“Once these people land in the A-cat it will be, ‘Yeah, you’re that guy, you’re the one who did this.’ I don’t think he will have any immediate enemies about him, I think he will just go in there and settle down.”

He added that it was hard to judge how he will be treated given he will be in a Category A prison, meaning most of the offenders are there for “heavy crimes”.

However, he said the next few days will potentially be the most challenging for Digwa, because there will be a lot of “fingers pointed at him” and “hype” regarding the protests.

After this period, he believes things should calm down. Henry’s family are from Chafford Hundred in Essex and they said the way police treated their son was “inhumane and degrading”.

His dad, Mark, said: “Henry told officers that he could not breathe nine times. He told them that he had been stabbed four times. Henry was pulled across the gravel, his hands forced behind his back and he was placed in handcuffs.”

Hampshire police’s Deputy Chief Constable Robert France meanwhile said: “This is a complete tragedy and I am sorry that they couldn’t save Henry that night and I’m sorry that Henry was handcuffed and arrested as he lost consciousness.

“The pathologist who spoke in court was clear there was nothing officers could have done that day to save Henry.

“His wound was deep and internal, the bleeding extensive but internal.”

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, is investigating the incident.

The Sikh community has also strongly condemned Digwa’s actions and the killer’s family said they were “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the Nowak family has had to endure”.

They added that it “apologises to the Sikh community for our son’s actions which have unfairly brought the community into disrepute” and pleaded that the “tragedy is not used to inflame division or hostility”.

After Digwa was sentenced, Judge Mousley KC told him: “You have brought shame on your family, your community and your religion. Your actions have stirred up racial tension, which has made many Sikhs worried about their safety.”