Teenagers’ sentences ‘do not reflect severity of crime’, say Bhim Kohli’s family

The daughter of a pensioner who was racially abused, hit with a shoe and filmed being attacked when he was killed by two teenagers said she was “angry and disappointed”, saying the sentences did not reflect the crime.

A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl, who cannot be named because of their ages, were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday for the manslaughter of Bhim Kohli, aged 80, who was the victim of a “wicked” attack near his home in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on September 1 last year.

Both children had denied their part in killing the elderly dog walker, who died in hospital the day after the incident, but were convicted by a jury of manslaughter in April, while the boy was cleared of murder.

High Court judge Mr Justice Turner handed the boy, who was aged 14 at the time of the killing, seven years’ detention, and the girl, who was aged 12, a three-year youth rehabilitation order.

The court heard that Mr Kohli was racially abused when the boy pushed, kicked and punched him, while the girl encouraged him by recording parts of the attack while laughing.

Sentencing the pair, the judge said: “I am sure Mr Kohli did nothing at all to deserve what you did. What you did was wicked.”

Speaking outside court after sentencing, Mr Kohli’s daughter Susan said her family’s “lives had been changed forever” because of the teenagers’ attack.

I feel angry and disappointed that the sentence they have both received today does not, I believe, reflect the severity of the crime they committed

Ms Kohli said: “The death of my dad has left a hole in our family, a hole that can never be filled because of the actions of two teenagers on that Sunday evening last September.

“I believe on that day the two teenagers made a choice. The teenage boy chose to attack my dad and the girl chose to film him being attacked. They knew what they were doing.

“I feel angry and disappointed that the sentence they have both received today does not, I believe, reflect the severity of the crime they committed.

“However, I understand the judge has guidelines, but they have taken a life, and, as a result, our lives have been changed forever.

“When they are released, they still have their full lives ahead of them. They can rebuild their lives. We can’t.”

Ms Kohli added that “more could have been done” to prevent her father’s death.

She said: “If police were able to have more visible patrols in the area following the previous reports of anti-social behaviour, then dad could still be alive today.

“We don’t want any other family to endure the pain and heartbreak that we have of losing someone this way.”

Ms Kohli said her father and some other neighbours had previously been subjected to assaults and racial abuse, and had reported two incidents to police.

She said she thought her father would “still be here” if there had been more of a police presence in the area.

We would always encourage you, our communities, to report anti-social behaviour incidents and concerns to the police or to your local council as soon as possible

A Leicestershire Police investigation found there was “no misconduct or missed opportunities which could have prevented” Mr Kohli’s death.

The force said in a statement: “Organisational learning was identified in relation to logging and tagging incidents of anti-social behaviour. As part of our continual improvements in this area, discussion began at the start of 2024, leading to a new system which is now in place.

“We would always encourage you, our communities, to report anti-social behaviour incidents and concerns to the police or to your local council as soon as possible.”