Digwa himself received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years

The mother of Henry Nowak's killer has been sentenced today for assisting her son by removing a knife from the scene of the murder.

Kiran Kaur, 53, mother of Vickrum Digwa, has been sentenced to three years in prison after aiding the killer after the tragic murder of the 18-year-old in Southampton last December.

Digwa himself received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years.

Judge William Mousley KC sentenced the 53-year-old mother at Southampton Crown Court this afternoon, after being found guilty on May 28.

Throughout the trial, Kaur chose not to give evidence before the court and used a Punjabi interpreter as she received her sentence.

Sentencing Kaur, Judge William Mousley KC said, “Henry Nowak was a much-loved young man," and “your son, Vickrum Digwa, murdered him."

He continued to describe the “devastating and lifelong impact of Henry's death on the entire family."

The court heard him address Mrs Kaur: "Your sons showed a callous disregard for Henry's wellbeing."

He said: “Vickrum told you to take the murder weapon away”, and “you knew there could be no justification for him to stab Henry."

The Judge told Mrs Kaur: “A responsible parent would have challenged their son over their actions and encouraged them to do the right thing. Instead, you took the knife home and put it with other weapons in your son's bedroom.

"Your behaviour added to your son's pretence he had done nothing wrong and that he was a victim."

The large dagger – a Sikh ceremonial blade known as a kirpan – was found in the family home, and police later confirmed it to be the murder weapon.

The judge said: “A responsible parent would have helped the police to identify the weapon."

Nicholas Lobbenberg KC, prosecuting, said: "This is criminality in the highest order.”

He continued, saying police “were confronted by a wall of lies”, and “she chose not to disclose what she'd done".

The prosecution said: “The absence of the weapon led to Henry dying terrified, alone and disbelieved. Her actions contributed to this.”

Defending, Mark Watson said it was a “spontaneous and impulsive act carried out in a matter of moments".

He continued: "She only became involved having had a phone call to say her son had been attacked”, and she was “arriving at a scene of confusion, distress and chaos."

The court heard she “acted in an instinctive desire to protect her child".

Continuing, he said: “The weapon was not destroyed, it was not cleaned, not broken or hidden.

“Mrs Kaur will carry the burden of what happened that day and what her son did for the rest of her life.”

Vickrum Digwa was carrying the religious knife on December 3 when Henry Nowak was killed on the way home from a gathering with friends from his football team.

Today, Judge William Mosely KC said it should “be worn as a symbol of religious faith never to be carried for an offensive purpose".

Digwa's sentence has since been referred to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme for review.