# Court of Appeal Increases Murderer's Minimum Sentence to 25 Years Judges ruled the original 21-year term for Vickrum Digwa was unduly lenient. - **Source:** [Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/7b89c043-de05-4c7b-8274-efa2a8485866 ## Sentence Increased on Appeal The Court of Appeal has increased the minimum life sentence term for 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa from 21 to 25 years. Judges ruled the original sentence, handed down in June for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, was unduly lenient and failed to reflect the overall seriousness of the brutal crime. ## Legal Challenge Dynamics Attorney General Ellie Reeves referred the case to the Court of Appeal, arguing the initial term was too short. Conversely, Digwa attempted to challenge his original sentence as manifestly excessive. Three senior judges ultimately rejected the defense's appeal, finding the original sentencing judge had materially understated key aggravating features of the case. ## Cruelty During the Attack Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr highlighted the incomprehensible cruelty displayed by the killer. After fatally stabbing the unarmed victim on December 3, Digwa filmed the dying teenager while verbally gloating. The court noted this behavior caused additional distress and degradation to the victim, further justifying the increase in the minimum term. ## Weaponry and Religious Privilege Digwa carried a kirpan, a religious requirement for Sikhs, alongside a large dagger associated with the Nihang order. The court ruled that while carrying a kirpan is legally permitted, abusing this privilege to commit a lethal attack does not mitigate the offense. The weapon was used repeatedly against a defenceless stranger. ## Deceptive Post-Attack Actions Following the stabbing, Digwa provided false information to emergency services, claiming the victim had racially abused him. This lie was part of a series of actions that the court considered when evaluating the offender's lack of remorse. These deceptive tactics were weighed alongside the physical brutality of the fatal stabbing incident. ## Impact on Victim's Family Family members of Henry Nowak attended the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. During the proceedings, relatives were visibly emotional as the judgment was delivered. Baroness Carr acknowledged the difficulty of the day for the family, stating that no sentence could ever fill the void left by their loss. ## Public and Official Reaction The case previously sparked public unrest following the release of body-worn police footage showing officers handcuffing the victim as he lay dying. Attorney General Ellie Reeves welcomed the ruling, noting the brutality of the case horrified the public. She expressed hope that the increased sentence provides some measure of justice for survivors. ## Procedural Outcome and Status Digwa appeared via video link from HMP Frankland during the hearing and showed no reaction to the increased sentence. Time already spent in custody will count toward his new 25-year minimum term. The ruling confirms that the original sentencing judge fell outside the range reasonably open to him during the trial. ## Sources covering this story - [The Independent – UK — Court of Appeal Increases Sentence for Henry Nowak's Killer](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/vickrum-digwa-sentence-henry-nowak-b3079942.html) - [Source — Court of Appeal Increases Killer’s Sentence to 25 Years](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/court-of-appeal-ellie-reeves-university-of-southampton-mark-justice-b1303744.html) - [Sky News – UK — Henry Nowak's Family React to Killer's Increased Prison Sentence](https://news.sky.com/story/henry-nowaks-killer-vickrum-digwa-has-life-sentence-increased-after-bid-to-cut-it-fails-13608421) - [BBC News – Top Stories — Court of Appeal Increases Minimum Term for Henry Nowak’s Killer](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmwy9z5423p2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._