Mother of Murderer Jailed for Removing Knife from Crime Scene 2026

The mother of Vickrum Digwa, the murderer whose false claims of racism against his victim, Henry Nowak, triggered riots in Southampton, has been jailed for removing a knife from the scene of the killing. This shocking case highlights how a parent's actions can obstruct justice and prolong a victim's suffering. Kiran Kaur's decision to tamper with evidence has now landed her behind bars, revealing the far-reaching consequences of interfering with a crime scene.

What Did Kiran Kaur Do?

Appearing at Southampton crown court, Kiran Kaur, 53, was jailed for three years for assisting an offender by taking the knife from where her son had murdered Nowak on 3 December 2025 back to her family home. The court heard that Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years for stabbing Nowak, an 18-year-old student, five times. When police arrived at the murder scene in Southampton, Digwa falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him and knocked his turban off, causing officers to arrest and handcuff the student before they saw his fatal injuries.

How Did Kaur's Actions Impact the Investigation?

Kaur was found guilty by the same jurors who convicted Digwa of murder and of carrying a knife in public, following a trial in May. Sentencing Kaur, William Mousley KC said: “A responsible parent would have challenged their son over their actions and encouraged them to do the right thing. Instead, you took the knife home and put it with a larger collection of ceremonial and other weapons in your son’s bedroom. That would have helped to conceal what it had been used for.” The judge said Kaur’s actions before and after taking the dagger away “added to your son’s pretence that he had done nothing wrong and that he was the victim”.

Why Is This Case Significant?

The court heard the knife was recovered after examination of CCTV, and determined by police to be the murder weapon about a week after Nowak was killed. Nicholas Lobbenberg KC had told the court Kaur’s role was crucial in removing the murder weapon at a time the police were coming to the scene. The prosecutor said: “The absence of a weapon at the scene caused by her actions hampered the police attending who were, as your Honour will recall, confronted with a wall of lies. “She chose not to disclose what she had done. Absence of that weapon led to Henry dying terrified, alone and disbelieved. Her actions co

Key Takeaways from This Case

• Obstructing justice carries severe penalties, as seen with Kaur's three-year sentence.
• Tampering with evidence can delay investigations and compound a victim's trauma.
• False claims of racism, like Digwa's, can mislead authorities and escalate community tensions.
• Parental responsibility extends to ensuring offenders face full legal consequences.

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