Henry Nowak’s family vow to 'keep seeking justice' after killer’s mother jailed for hiding murder weapon
The family have released new photos of Henry as a young boy following the sentencing
Henry Nowak’s family have vowed to keep fighting for justice after his killer’s mother was jailed for three years for assisting an offender.
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Kiran Kaur, 53, was sentenced on Friday after removing the knife from the scene following the fatal stabbing of the 18-year-old in December.
Her son, Vickrum Digwa, was jailed for life in June, with a minimum term of 21 years, after being convicted of murder. He is appealing against the conviction.
In a statement released after Kaur’s sentencing, Mr Nowak’s family said: “While we accept today’s sentencing decision, nonetheless we remain incredibly disappointed.
“We will never give up in our campaign for justice for Henry.
"Our focus is on making sure the ongoing investigations leave no stone unturned as we fight for the full truth about what happened last December, and we continue to urge the government to deliver the changes our wonderful son deserves.”
Read more: Mother of Henry Nowak’s killer jailed for assisting son by removing knife from murder scene
Read more: Henry Nowak's killer Vickrum Digwa denies multiple weapons offences alongside brother and father
The family also released new photos of Henry as a young boy following the sentencing.
Kaur, of St Denys Road in Southampton, was found guilty at Southampton Crown Court in May of assisting an offender.
She was convicted by the same jury that found Digwa guilty of murder and carrying a knife in public.
The court heard how she took the 21cm (8in) knife, which Digwa used to stab Henry five times, after turning up at the scene of the attack.
Kaur took the murder weapon, a Sikh ceremonial dagger, back to the family home in Southampton and "put it with a larger collection" of weapons in her son's bedroom.
Sentencing Kaur to three years on Friday, Judge William Mousley KC said: “A responsible parent would have challenged their son over their actions and encourage 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.”
Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC had told the court her role was “crucial” in removing the murder weapon at a time the police were coming to the scene.
He said: “The absence of weapon at the scene caused by her actions hampered the police attending who were, as your Honour will recall, were 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 contributed to this.”
Barrister Mark Watson, defending Kaur, said at the time of the incident, Kaur only became involved after receiving a phone call that her son had been attacked, as she was getting ready for bed.
He said the mother was “equally misled” as Digwa lied to those around him about what happened.
He said what she did was a “spontaneous” act, not a calculated plan, adding: “The weapon was not destroyed, it was not cleaned, it was not broken up and hidden.
”The knife was still within its sheath, he added.
“Offending arose during a moment of panic and human frailty, the court may think,” he said.