Southampton weapons arsenal trial set for September 2026 as family of Henry Nowak’s killer deny possessing 37 swords, machetes, and martial arts weapons
The judicial registries and security enforcement divisions of Hampshire have recorded a major development in the fallout of the Henry Nowak murder case. Vickrum Digwa, the 23-year-old convicted of the fatal stabbing of the 18-year-old university student, has appeared before a Southampton courtroom alongside his father and brother to deny multiple weapons charges. The proceedings at Southampton Magistrates’ Court have formally set the stage for an intense legal battle scheduled for late September 2026, focusing on a massive domestic arsenal discovered by police just 24 hours after Nowak’s death on December 3, 2025.
The harrowing core of the state’s case centers on the sheer volume of lethal weaponry seized during a police raid on the Digwa family home on December 4, 2025. The prosecution’s inventory of the recovered cache is remarkably broad, detailing 37 swords, three machetes, three specialized ninja swords, and two flick-knives or gravity knives. Beyond the bladed weapons, police officers also recovered eight knuckledusters, an extendable baton, and a manriki-gusari—a traditional Japanese weighted chain weapon. Fifty-two-year-old Moga Singh and 27-year-old Gurpreet Digwa appeared in person to enter their not guilty pleas, while Vickrum Digwa joined the session via high-security video link from HMP Frankland, where he is currently serving his life sentence.
In addition to the joint possession charges, Gurpreet Digwa faces separate prosecution for possessing an air weapon, an extendable baton, and a kirpan in a public setting, alongside allegations of storing an axe inside a vehicle. During the preliminary hearings, defense solicitor Harmail Gill offered a cultural and historical justification for the domestic cache. The defense argued that several of the swords should be legally classified as historical “antiques” rather than prohibited weapons, asserting that a portion of the inventory was utilized solely for traditional religious martial arts. Despite these explanations, District Judge Henry Gordon rejected pleas to dismiss the charges and scheduled a full trial to begin in September 2026.
The technical tracking of the wider murder case remains highly volatile. Vickrum Digwa was handed a life sentence in June 2026 with a minimum term of 21 years for Nowak’s murder. Following the stabbing, Digwa had filmed the dying teenager and falsely claimed to responding officers that he had been the victim of a racially motivated attack. Both the defense and the Crown are currently challenging the judicial outcome; Digwa has launched a formal appeal through the Court of Appeal to reduce his sentence, while Solicitor General Ellie Reeves has launched a counter-challenge, arguing the 21-year minimum term is “unduly lenient” and must be increased.
The legal proceedings are unfolding alongside massive public outrage regarding police conduct during the incident. Released body-worn camera footage captured the moments after the stabbing, revealing that responding Hampshire officers prioritized handcuffing a mortally wounded Nowak as a suspect while he repeatedly stated he could not breathe, instead of administering immediate first aid. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed that two officers remain under active investigation for potential gross misconduct over their handling of the medical emergency.
This definitive judicial update delivers a permanent reality check to the public regarding the deep legal complications surrounding the Nowak tragedy, proving that the criminal case has expanded far beyond the initial homicide. While the appellate court reviews Vickrum Digwa’s life sentence, the upcoming weapons trial ensures that the entire family’s domestic operations will remain under intense legal scrutiny. As the mechanical schedules of the Southampton courts move toward September, the community remains heavily focused on the intersection of criminal justice, cultural weapon possession, and public accountability.
