Boy, 15, and girl, 13, guilty of manslaughter following the death of Leicester dog walker Bhim Kohli
8 April 2025, 12:12 | Updated: 8 April 2025, 12:40
A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl have been found guilty of manslaughter following the death of pensioner Bhim Kohli in Leicester.
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Bhim Kohli died from serious injuries he suffered while walking his dog Rocky in Franklin Park, seconds away from his home in Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, in September last year.
Appearing at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, both teenagers, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were found guilty of the pensioner's death.
Both had previously denied the murder and manslaughter of the 80-year-old.
Following the pensioner's death, Leicestershire Police said a post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Kohli died as a result of a neck injury.
Standing in the dock, the teenagers appeared upset when the foreman of the jury returned the guilty verdicts.
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The court heard how the 13-year-old girl filmed the attack on the pensioner using her mobile phone.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Mr Kohli was racially abused prior to the attack.
Evidence put forward by the prosecution showed the 13-year-old girl had taken a photograph of Mr Kohli in Franklin Park just a week before the attack.
His family described the pensioner as a "loving, caring person" who enjoyed walking their family dog at the park "many times a day".
Four other children - a girl aged 14 and one boy and two girls aged 12 - were arrested on suspicion of murder as part of the police investigation, but were released with no further action.
The jury reached its unanimous verdicts following six hours and 46 minutes of deliberation, with Mr Justice Turner, the judge presiding over the case, remanded the 15-year-old boy in custody but granted the 13-year-old female defendant bail.
After telling the jury he wanted further background information on the defendants before passing sentence, the judge told the girl: “I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that the fact that bail is being granted should not be taken as any indication as to the sentence when the time comes.”
Mr Justice Turner, who will consider a media application to lift reporting restrictions on May 19, thanked the jury for their “obvious hard work” on the case.
Leicestershire Police made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to prior contact with the victim following Mr Kohli's death.
Following further contact with the watchdog, the force has now made a mandatory referral.
Mr Justice Turner adjourned sentencing until May 20.
