After knifing Henry Nowak, Vickrum Digwa told his mother to take the murder weapon away, along with its sheath and belt, as the 18-year-old student lay dying. She did so. Now, Kiran Kaur, 53, has been found guilty of assisting an offender, and is due to be sentenced on July 17. Judge William Mousely K.C. told Digwa during his sentencing: "You bear some responsibility for the offence committed by your mother when you asked her to take the murder weapon away from you after she arrived on the scene.

"Your lies to the police about what had happened led, in part, to the arrests of your father, brother and mother for murder and their being taken into police custody. Your mother has remained in custody for the past seven months." Digwa lied to police, claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack. The Judge added: "I am sure that Henry had said nothing racist. You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character.

"You joined your brother in relating these lies to the police. By then your mother and father were at the scene. Gurpreet explained that no weapons had been involved or were present. In fact, whilst he was talking to the call operator, you told your mother to take the murder weapon, sheath and belt away which she did.

"You did not tell your father what had really happened. Much of the time you just stood by as he, at least, tried to do something to help Henry. You carried on telling these wicked lies when police attended on the scene, hampering them in doing their job and, effectively, obstructing the course of justice.

"You kept Henry’s phone with the incriminating recording of you on it. You had no intention of handing it over. It was found on you after you had been arrested and taken into police custody."

Digwa is a member of an Sikh order called the Nihang, which has a tradition of having a second knife, or kirpan, which is often fully visible.

But the Judge pointed out that this is "not a strict requirement", which was "borne out by the fact that neither your brother nor father who arrived on the scene after you had stabbed Henry were so dressed".

The knife that was used to kill Henry was a 21cm Persian blade known as a pesh-kabz. Sikh Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi told the BBC that this is not the ceremonial kirpan carried by people who follow his religion.

The Judge told Digwa: "You have brought shame upon your family, your community and your religion.

"Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their own safety even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong."