The government will not ban the kirpan, the Home Secretary has confirmed, following the case of a man who murdered a student with a knife.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life (minimum 21 years) for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton in December 2025.
The weapon was widely and wrongly reported as a kirpan. While Digwa wore a small ceremonial kirpan for his faith, he killed Henry with a separate 21cm knife. Prosecutors called him "weapons obsessed," with more than 20 weapons found at the family home. His father and brother have since been charged with weapons offences, and his mother was convicted of hiding the murder weapon.
The case has also raised serious questions about the police response. Bodycam released with the family's consent shows Henry telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe before being handcuffed, after police were wrongly told he was the aggressor. Hampshire Police have apologised and referred themselves to the IOPC.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said carrying a knife for religious observance "is one thing," but using it as in this case "is quite another." The 2019 law allowing kirpans for religious reasons remains in place, Sikhs have the same defence, and face the same law, as everyone else.
The Sikh Federation (UK) has condemned the killing and offered condolences to Henry's family, stressing one man's crime does not reflect the faith.
Our thoughts remain with Henry Nowak's family.
🎥 Source: CPS, Southampton Crown Court, LBC, BBC, Sikh Federation (UK)
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