Vickrum Digwa, his brother and his father have pleaded not guilty in court to multiple weapons offences including possessing 37 swords, flick-knives, an axe and eight knuckledusters.
The 23-year-old, who was sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minimum of 21 years for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton, appeared by videolink from HMP Frankland at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.
He pleaded not guilty to seven counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a private place at the family home in St Denys Road, Southampton.
The alleged weapons are three machetes, 37 swords, three ninja swords, two flick-knives or gravity knives, eight knuckledusters, an extendable baton and a manriki-gusari.
Digwa’s father, Moga Singh, 52, and his brother, Gurpreet Digwa, 27, both of Southampton, Hampshire, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the same charges, while Gurpreet faced four additional charges, which he also denied. These are possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, with the offences being possessing an extendable baton, a kirpan and an axe in a car in Belmont Road, and the fourth charge being of possessing an air weapon in Belmont Road.
The court heard that all three defendants face an additional amended count of possessing three push daggers in a private place. However, the charge was not put to them to enter pleas, as District Judge Henry Gordon requested clarification on the details of the amendment and whether it was within the six-month time limit for the charge to be made.
All of the offences are dated 4 December 2025 – the day after the incident in which Mr Nowak was killed.
Judge Gordon set a trial date for 27 September 2027, with a case management hearing to take place on 4 June 2027.
