Nowak killer's first recorded confession revealed

Image source, Hampshire Police Image caption, Vickrum Digwa murdered Southampton university student, Henry Nowak, on 3 December 2025 By Nikki Mitchell South of England home affairs correspondent Published 44 minutes ago Within 36 hours of murdering Henry Nowak, Vickrum Digwa was recorded in the back of a police van admitting to his brother, Gurpreet, that he had stabbed the teenager multiple times. The pair had been speaking in Punjabi as they were driven between a police station and a court for a custody extension hearing on 5 December 2025. Digwa had previously lied to his family and police at the scene of the murder in Southampton, insisting he had been "racially attacked" and had only "pushed" and "punched" the student in self-defence. Now, a transcript of the brothers' exchanges reveals details of Digwa's confession and shows they prayed to God to "save" them and their parents after all four were arrested. The transcript is a Punjabi-to-English translation of the brothers' conversation and was referred to during Digwa's murder trial. The extracts included in this report are drawn from that document, which the BBC requested and obtained from the Crown Prosecution Service. Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, Gurpreet Digwa, 27, did not witness his brother stabbing Henry Nowak, but arrived at the scene soon afterwards When Gurpreet Digwa asked his brother, Vickrum, "What did you do? Did you even do anything?", the transcript shows he pointed to his shoulder and said: "One here, towards the face and one on the chest." Gurpreet, 27, told him: "You should not have done it." Digwa, 23, replied that it was his fault, or mistake. At various points, Gurpreet told his brother he should have "just pushed" [Henry Nowak] or "hit him or beaten him up" instead. "Why did you use the kirpan?" he asked. Digwa replied: "I am a fool." The use of the word "kirpan" to describe the 8in (21cm) murder weapon is disputed by many Sikhs , who say a kirpan is a small, usually curved ceremonial blade worn as an article of faith, symbolising a duty to uphold justice and protect others. Image source, BBC and Crown Prosecution Service Image caption, A typical kirpan (L) differs from the longer, straighter weapon (R) that Digwa described as a kirpan While practising Sikhs are legally permitted to carry a blade for religious reasons, any blade used in violence is treated as an offensive weapon. Digwa had been wearing a small kirpan concealed around his neck, but used a second, much larger dagger to stab Henry Nowak. He carried it in a cross-body sheath worn over his clothing, in keeping with a tradition associated with the Nihang warrior order, to which he belongs. Sikh leaders have strongly condemned Digwa's actions and say his "false characterisation" of the murder weapon has contributed to a backlash against the community . What the brothers said about murder weapon While in the back of the police van, Gurpreet Digwa advised his brother on the word he should u