Boy, 15, gets seven years for ‘cowardly and violent’ assault on dog walker, 80, who ‘did nothing to deserve’ fatal beating with slider shoe
A 13-year-old girl has walked FREE from court despite her role in the “wicked” killing of an 80-year-old grandfather who was racially abused and left to die just yards from his home.
While her 15-year-old accomplice was handed a seven-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of Bhim Kohli, the girl – who filmed the brutal attack while laughing – was spared jail and given only a youth rehabilitation order.
In devastating comments that laid bare the senseless brutality of the killing, Judge Mr Justice Turner declared that the beloved pensioner “did nothing to deserve” the cowardly attack that ended his life in Franklin Park, Leicester, last September.
The judge revealed that Mr Kohli was called a “P***” during the assault – confirming the racial element of an attack that has left a family destroyed and a community in shock.
‘WHAT YOU DID WAS WICKED’
In powerful remarks during today’s sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Turner did not mince words as he addressed the teenage killers:
I am sure you knocked Kohli to the ground and hit him with your sliders,” he told the 15-year-old boy.
“I am sure Mr Kohli did nothing at all to deserve what you did. What you did was wicked. You made a cowardly and violent attack on an elderly man.”
The judge’s voice carried the weight of the court’s disgust as he delivered his verdict on a crime that has shocked the nation.
RACIST SLUR CONFIRMED
In a significant finding, Judge Turner confirmed that evidence from Mr Kohli’s daughter – that her father told her he was called a “P***” during the attack – was correct.
However, the judge noted that examination of the teenagers’ mobile phones did not reveal they held “general racist views.
It was a lazy but very hurtful insult,” Judge Turner said of the racial slur, underlining how casual racism had played a role in the pensioner’s final moments.
FAMILY’S GRIEF ‘WILL CAST LONG SHADOW’
The judge was visibly moved by the impact statements from Mr Kohli’s devastated family, telling the court:
“No-one could fail to be deeply moved by what his daughter, in court, and his grandson, in a statement, have said. Their grief and anger will cast a long shadow over all of their lives.”
The family had earlier told the court how they found Mr Kohli screaming in agony after the attack, never imagining he would not return home from hospital.
THE SENTENCES: JUSTICE OR INJUSTICE?
The Boy, 15:
- Seven years in custody for manslaughter
- Will likely be released before his 20th birthday
- Judge confirmed he “knocked Kohli to the ground and hit him with sliders”
The Girl, 13 (referred to as D2):
- Three-year youth rehabilitation order
- NO jail time despite filming attack and laughing
- Will remain in the community under supervision
The disparity in sentences has raised eyebrows, with many questioning how someone who filmed a fatal attack while laughing could walk free from court.
THE BRUTAL FACTS
The court heard how on September 1, 2024:
- Mr Kohli was walking his dog Rocky near his home
- The boy, wearing a balaclava, launched an unprovoked attack
- He slapped the pensioner with a slider shoe
- He kicked and punched the 80-year-old
- The girl filmed the assault on her phone while laughing
- They left Mr Kohli with fatal injuries including a broken neck
A post-mortem examination confirmed Mr Kohli died from a neck injury sustained in the attack.
‘DID NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS’
Judge Turner’s repeated emphasis that Mr Kohli “did nothing at all to deserve what you did” underscored the senseless nature of the killing.
The 80-year-old grandfather was known in his community as someone who grew vegetables for his neighbours, many of whom affectionately called him “grandad.”
He had been married for 55 years and was described by family as “fit as a fiddle” – a man who loved life and never took himself too seriously.
THE KILLERS’ REACTION
The teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had shown different responses to their crime:
The Boy:
- Wrote a letter admitting “I feel like my case is evil”
- Claimed to suffer flashbacks
- Said he “kinda just needed anger etc releasing”
The Girl:
- Had photographed Mr Kohli a week before the attack
- Was heard on video asking “Have you got anger issues?”
- Bragged about the attack afterwards
COMMUNITY OUTRAGE
The lenient sentence for the girl has sparked particular outrage, with many questioning how filming a fatal attack warrants only a rehabilitation order.
The fact that both teenagers will be anonymous for life due to their ages has added to the sense of injustice felt by many in the community.
A LIFE STOLEN
As Judge Turner noted, the grief and anger of Mr Kohli’s family “will cast a long shadow over all of their lives.
The pensioner who did nothing more than walk his dog on a September evening has become another victim of senseless youth violence – killed in what the judge branded a “wicked” and “cowardly” attack.
His final moments included being subjected to racist abuse, filmed for entertainment, and left to die alone until his family found him.
Today’s sentences – seven years for the boy, freedom for the girl – will do little to heal the wounds left by this “wicked” crime.
As Mr Kohli’s family faces a lifetime without their beloved father and grandfather, his teenage killers will serve sentences that many believe fail to reflect the gravity of ending an innocent man’s life in such a cruel and callous manner.
