A 23-year-old British Sikh man convicted of the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old university student in Southeast England was granted permission on Tuesday to appeal the length of his life sentence.

Vickrum Digwa was convicted of murder earlier this year for the December 2025 killing of Henry Nowak, a first-year University of Southampton student. Nowak was walking home in Southampton when Digwa attacked him, stabbing him five times with a 21-centimetre blade.

Digwa received a life sentence in June with a minimum parole eligibility period of 21 years. The Court of Appeal will hear his sentence challenge on Nov. 5. A separate application by Digwa seeking permission to appeal his murder conviction remains pending decision.

During his trial, Digwa attempted to claim self-defence on religious grounds, arguing the weapon used was a kirpan—a ceremonial dagger legally carried by practicing Sikhs in the United Kingdom. The court rejected his claims that Nowak had made racial slurs or posed a threat. Presiding judges emphasized that while carrying a kirpan is permitted for religious reasons, its use in violence negates any legal protection. British Sikh leaders and organizations also condemned the defense, clarifying that the faith strictly prohibits using a kirpan for violent acts.

In July, Digwa’s 53-year-old mother, Kiran Kaur, was sentenced to three years in prison for assisting an offender after removing the weapon from the scene and obstructing the police investigation.

The case has drawn widespread national attention in the U.K., sparking debates over knife legislation, police handling at the scene, and community relations.