Vickrum Digwa, who was jailed for the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, has been referred to the Court of Appeal for review under the UK’s excessive leniency scheme.Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Southampton Crown Court on June 1 and ordered to serve at least 21 years before being eligible for parole.The referral was made by KC Assemblymember Solicitor General Ellie Reeves, who said she hopes the move will help bring justice to Nowak’s family.On December 3, Nowak was stabbed to death with a 21 cm long knife. During the trial, Digwa claimed he carried the blade because of his Sikh faith.The case attracted widespread attention after evidence emerged that Nowak was initially detained and handcuffed by police at the scene before police realized he had suffered life-threatening injuries.Body camera footage later released by authorities showed the teen telling police multiple times that he had been stabbed and had difficulty breathing. Digwa allegedly told police that Nowak assaulted and racially abused him.In a statement announcing the transfer, Reeves said the case shocked the public.“No sentence can undo the devastation Henry’s family has suffered or fill the void left by his loss,” she said, adding that she hoped the appeals process would help ensure the justice the family deserves.Public anger over the case intensified after the police footage was released, leading to protests in Southampton on June 2. Authorities have since charged 23 people in connection with the riot, and 13 defendants have been jailed.The Court of Appeal will now consider whether Digueva’s sentence should be increased.The Undue Leniency in Sentencing (ULS) scheme allows the Crown Court of England and Wales to review certain sentences that are deemed to be too low. Under the scheme, the Solicitor General can refer cases to the Court of Appeal, which can then decide whether a sentence is unduly lenient and increase it if necessary
