In a shocking case that has left the Indian-origin community in Leicester devastated, two teenagers—a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy—have been found guilty by the Leicester Crown Court for the killing of 80-year-old Bhim Kohli, a respected member of the community. The brutal incident took place in September 2023, when Mr. Kohli was out on his usual evening walk with his dog near the entrance of Franklin Park, just a few metres from his residence in Braunstone Town, Leicester.

The court found that the elderly man, who had dedicated his life to his family and community, was violently attacked by the teenagers without any provocation. Witnesses and trial testimonies revealed that Mr. Kohli was racially abused, humiliated, and assaulted in broad daylight, in a public space he walked daily.

"The family of an 80-year-old man have told of their 'disgust' at the children who 'humiliated' and killed him after a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were convicted of manslaughter."

Mr. Kohli was discovered lying motionless on the ground in Franklin Park on 1st September 2023. He was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries the following day. His death was caused by a severe spinal cord injury, resulting from the forceful trauma inflicted during the assault. The medical report detailed a broken neck and rib fractures, with injuries matching “something heavy striking the rib cage.” This horrifying description indicates the brutality of the attack on an old man who posed no threat to anyone.

Bhim Kohli was 'pillar of community'

The boy, aged 14 at the time of the attack, and the girl, aged 12, were finally brought to justice, but due to legal protections for minors, their identities remain withheld. Both sat in the courtroom for the first time since the beginning of their trial, appearing visibly emotional as the guilty verdict was delivered.

Outside the court, Mr. Kohli’s daughter, Susan, delivered a heartfelt statement, filled with grief and anger. She said her father was “brutally and cruelly taken away from us when walking our dog Rocky in the park close to our home.”

She described him as a “devoted life partner to my mum for 55 years”, a “loving dad, grandad, brother and uncle, a retired businessman and a close friend to many, including people who lived in our local community.”

Ms. Kohli gave a haunting picture of the emotional damage the family continues to endure: “Every time my mum opens the front door she thinks about what happened to her husband.” She added, “Listening to the enormity of what happened, what dad was subjected to, will never leave us.”

Her words echoed the pain of a family torn apart by senseless violence. “We feel angry and disgust towards the teenagers who took dad away from us. They humiliated him, an 80-year-old man, assaulted him, filmed it and laughed at him. Dad did not deserve this and wouldn't wish this on anyone else.”

A police-released statement included a disturbing detail shared by Ms. Kohli: the boy had inflicted violence so severe that he broke three of her father’s ribs and neck, leading to trauma in the spinal column. The evidence against the teens was damning—“Videos of the incident were filmed and shockingly found on the girl's phone,” she confirmed.

One particularly distressing video showed the elderly Mr. Kohli on his knees, defenseless, while being struck over the head with a boy’s slider (shoe). The clip reportedly captured “a loud horrible slapping sound”, followed by the girl laughing, a sound that Ms. Kohli said “plays over and over in our heads.”

The prosecution was led by Harpreet Sandhu KC, who emphasized the cold-blooded nature of the crime. He stated clearly to the jury: “You heard that slap, you heard the slider making contact with Mr Kohli’s face. There was nothing for the boy to fear from an 80-year-old man who was on his knees. It was pure violence used by the boy, pure violence encouraged by the girl.”

Sandhu further argued that the girl was not only aware of what was about to happen but actively encouraged it. “The girl made a noise. That noise was her laughing. She laughed as the boy assaulted Mr Kohli. She knew there would be violence, and she had a desire to capture it – and capturing it provided encouragement for the violence to be meted out,” he said.

As of now, the boy has been remanded in custody, while the girl has been granted bail. The court has scheduled the sentencing for 20th May 2025, which is expected to be closely watched given the disturbing nature of the case and the young age of the perpetrators.

‘Cruel, violent and deeply shocking’: Family and community shattered by Bhim Kohli’s killing

The horror of what happened to 80-year-old Bhim Kohli continues to echo across his family and the wider community. More than just a tragic loss, the manner in which he died has left emotional wounds that words cannot fully capture. As the trial progressed and grim details came to light, Mr Kohli’s daughter, Susan, expressed the torment her family endured watching evidence of the attack.

She revealed that the footage recorded by the girl captured a moment that haunts them still — her father trying to call out for help. "We didn't hear his call for help and this upsets us deeply."

This, for the family, has been the hardest part to bear. "Losing dad in these cruel, violent, and deeply shocking circumstances feels like our hearts have been pulled apart. We can't put into words the pain we feel every day, and this has magnified during the trial."

Even their pet, Rocky, who had accompanied Bhim Kohli on his final walk, was affected. "Rocky, our dog, returned home alone on that day and has been lost without dad. He had 15 years with my dad and it is clear he misses him deeply." The sight of the dog returning home alone, without his companion of 15 years, is a moment the family says they will never forget.

The six-week trial brought to surface several disturbing revelations. Jurors were informed that Mr Kohli had been racially abused before the incident—a point that would go on to define the racial undercurrent of the case. Moreover, in a chilling precursor to the fatal assault, it was revealed in court that the girl had taken a photograph of Mr Kohli in Franklin Park just a week before the attack.

On the day of the attack, Mr Kohli was pushed to the ground and slapped across the face with a shoe by a boy wearing a balaclava, the court heard. A police witness gave testimony that solidified the brutality of the assault. The report described “seeing the boy forcefully pushing the old man on to his back”, causing Mr Kohli to fall and scream out in pain. “The witness described Mr Kohli as 'ending up on the floor screaming',” as recounted to the jury.

The boy initially denied responsibility for the fatal injuries, but his actions after the assault raised further questions. He had told a friend that he intended to “go on the run” to Hinckley, a nearby town. But this attempt to flee justice was short-lived—he was arrested minutes later by police while hiding in a bush, as the court was told.

Boy claimed he acted out of ‘instinct’

More disturbing was the statement made by the boy in a letter two months after the incident. In it, he openly confessed his guilt. “I did it and I accept I'm doing time” and “I kinda just needed anger etc releasing”, he wrote, acknowledging the act and the pent-up rage that led to it.

During the trial, he claimed that he approached Mr Kohli wearing a balaclava because the girl had told him “the man carries a knife”. He insisted the elderly man fell to his knees during a “tussle” over the youth’s slider, presenting himself as reactive rather than aggressive. The court was shown a video that directly contradicted this version—a video clip filmed by the girl showed the masked boy slapping Mr Kohli in the face with his shoe, an act the boy claimed he performed out of “instinct”.

In his testimony, the boy said he pushed Mr Kohli over to “defend” the girl, whom he thought the elderly man was about to hit or push. But he firmly denied kicking or punching Mr Kohli. Still, the prosecution emphasized that when Mr Kohli was later found in the park, he told his daughter he had been called a “P*”**—a hateful racial slur.

Harpreet Sandhu KC, representing the prosecution, described the act as "gratuitous violence against a man who was defenceless." After deliberating for nearly seven hours, the jury returned with unanimous verdicts, finding both the boy and the girl guilty. The boy, however, was not convicted of murder, only manslaughter. Mr Justice Turner has since remanded the boy in custody, while the girl remains on bail. The judge made it clear that his decision to grant bail “should not be taken as any indication as to the sentence when the time comes.” The sentencing has been scheduled for 20th May 2025.

Police confirm racial element in the attack

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Sinski of Leicestershire Police, who led the investigation, confirmed what the family already knew in their hearts. The crime was racially motivated. He shared the family's heartbreak: Mr Kohli’s family have been “absolutely devastated by his loss” and had “lived without racist incidents within their community for many, many years.” He added, “It's extremely distasteful - any sort of racist motivation, even in part. And tragic that children should have that motivation.”

Describing the case as the “most shocking” in his career, DCI Sinski pointed out how unusual and painful the circumstances were. He said, “He was just enjoying a stroll with his dog during the course of that evening, and he was set about totally unprovoked in what was a vicious and fatal attack.” The racial element could not be ignored. “There was a racial element – and Mr Kohli told us that himself. He said he had been racially slurred, and I won’t use the term, it’s a repugnant term.” DCI Sinski continued, “It certainly doesn’t fit in with that community. That was a community that was extremely close, happy and they all lived in harmony. Racism didn’t feature,” he concluded.

The trauma of losing Mr Kohli has left his family completely broken. Those who knew him remember him as a soft-spoken, kind man who never showed aggression. According to his daughter Susan, “We feel anger and disgust towards the teenagers who took Dad away from us. They humiliated an 80-year-old man, assaulted him, filmed it and laughed at him.” She added through tears, “It was horrendous, we have never seen him like that before. We all thought he would go to the hospital to be treated, and he would then be fine. We never imagined he wouldn’t return home. My dad passed away before our eyes, surrounded by his family.”

The family hopes that no one else will ever have to suffer such a loss. “Dad did not deserve this, and we wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone else.”