Suspended sentence for man who racially abused Sikh solicitor

A man who subjected Vickrum Digwa’s solicitor to “vile hate and abuse” – and then posted it online – has avoided a prison sentence.

Ryan Eastman-Baddams targeted Harmail Gill as he left Southampton Crown Court on the day Digwa was jailed for life for murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak.

The following day, he confronted Mr Gill outside the neighbouring magistrates’ court.

On that occasion he filmed the encounter and posted it online, where it was seen by Mr Gill’s children and other members of his family.

Siobhan Linsley, prosecuting, told the crown court that Mr Gill was a Sikh of Asian appearance who represented clients of every ethnicity and background.

She said that on June 1 2026 he was leaving the court when the defendant started shouting abuse at him at the top of his voice.

The next day he called Mr Gill a “scumbag” and insulted the solicitor’s family in his own language – Punjabi – as he walked away from the magistrates court.

Referring to the type of knife Digwa was carrying when he stabbed Mr Nowak, the defendant told Mr Gill: “Go back to India and keep your kirpan at home”, the court heard.

Ms Linsley said the racial slurs caused the victim and his family “severe distress”.

Mr Gill’s victim impact statement said: “I was subjected to vile hate and abuse. I’m fearful this will happen again when I go to court, simply to do my job. I look over my shoulder every time I leave court as a result of what happened.”

Ms Linsley said the defendant had 11 convictions for 16 offences, including robbery, battery, and threats to kill.

Eastman-Baddams, 33, of Bellevue Road, Southampton, had previously pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public disorder.

Ryan Seneviratne, mitigating, said his client suffered from bipolar disorder and had a history of self-harm. He described the defendant’s behaviour as “unkind” and “distasteful”, but said he had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

He added that the shouting that occurred on June 1 was of a non-racial nature.

Judge William Mousley KC described the defendant’s behaviour towards the solicitor as an attack on the justice system. But he also referred to sentencing guidelines and that fact that Eastman-Baddams had already spent nine weeks in custody on remand.

The defendant was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison, suspended for one year.

He was also handed a three-year restraining order and banned from the area immediately outside the crown court and magistrates court.

Daily Echo