The man convicted of murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton has been granted permission to appeal the length of his life sentence. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced in June to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years following the fatal stabbing in December. The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear the case on November 5.

The appeal comes after the Attorney General’s office referred the sentence under the unduly lenient scheme, arguing that the punishment was insufficient and should be increased. The Attorney General at the time, Ellie Reeves—now holding the position formally—described the case as “horrifying” and expressed hope that the referral would provide some measure of justice to Nowak’s family. Digwa has also submitted a separate application to appeal his murder conviction, which will be considered independently.

The case has drawn significant public attention and controversy. Following the stabbing, police handcuffed Nowak as he lay dying after Digwa falsely claimed he had been subjected to racial abuse because of his Sikh background. Video footage showing Nowak restrained and saying “I can’t breathe” sparked unrest in Southampton. On June 2, protests escalated into violent disorder, during which twelve police officers and a police dog were injured.

Protesters initially gathered outside the city centre police station before moving to locations near Digwa’s family home and the crime scene. Authorities have charged more than 30 individuals with violent disorder in connection with the disturbances.

Meanwhile, two officers who were the first responders to the scene are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The inquiry focuses on whether the officers failed to recognise Nowak’s urgent medical needs and whether their decision to arrest him instead of administering first aid constituted gross misconduct.