Summary

  • A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl have been sentenced for Bhim Kohli's manslaughter

  • The 80-year-old was attacked while walking his dog in Franklin Park in Leicestershire in September

  • The boy was sentenced to seven years in custody - the girl was not sent to custody, but was given a three-year rehabilitation order and a six-month curfew

  • The teenagers were found guilty following a trial earlier this year - they legally cannot be named because of their ages

  • A prosecutor said Mr Kohli was slapped with a slider shoe and was racially abused during the attack, although the judge said the attack was not due to race

  • After the sentencing, Mr Kohli's daughter, Susan, says more visible police patrols could have prevented her father's death

  • Warning: There are distressing details on this page

'We don't want any other family to endure this pain', Bhim Kohli's daughter says

Live Reporting

Edited by Gavin Bevis with Dan Martin, Katie Thompson, and Navtej Johal reporting from court. Warning - this page contains distressing details.

  1. Teenagers sentenced over Bhim Kohli killing

    Matt Taylor
    BBC News, Leicester

    Our coverage from Leicester Crown Court has now ended.

    The boy, 15, was sentenced to seven years in custody, while the girl, 13, was given a youth rehabilitation order of three years and made subject to a six-month curfew.

    Mr Justice Turner told the boy his attack on Mr Kohli was "cowardly", and he told the girl she "did not play a leading role" but it was not a minor part either.

    Read more on the sentencing here.

  2. Watch: Family statement outside court

    Matt Taylor
    BBC News

    You can watch some of the statement read by Susan Kohli, Bhim Kohli's daughter below.

  3. 'No missed opportunities' to prevent Kohli's death

    Matt Taylor
    BBC News, Leicester

    Leicestershire Police have released a statement following today's sentencing.

    It explained that, due to prior police contact with Mr Kohli, the force made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

    An investigation carried out locally by the force and reviewed by the IOPC found there was "no misconduct or missed opportunities which could have prevented Mr Kohli’s death".

    The statement added: "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."

  4. 'More could have been done' to prevent Kohli's death

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    Before finishing her statement on the steps Susan says "more could have been done" to prevent her dad's death.

    She adds: "What has also become clear at this time since my dad's death is the under-reporting of the racism [and] anti-social behaviour in our area in the months leading up to the attack on my dad."

    Susan urges people to report issues, no matter how small they may seem.

    "We don't want any family to endure heartbreak," she says.

    She also calls for the government to "do more" to ensure the police have the resources to "safeguard communities".

    "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 this pain', Bhim Kohli's daughter says

  5. Killers 'still have life ahead of them'

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    "They have taken a life," Susan continues, "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."

    Susan thanks the support of her local community but says she is "frustrated" by people who she says have not helped police in the investigation.

    "We all have a public duty to support justice in our areas," she said.

  6. 'Death of my dad has left a hole in our family'

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    Susan Kohli speaking outside court

    Susan Kohli speaking outside court

    Susan Kohli, Bhim Kohli's daughter, is speaking on the steps outside Leicester Crown Court following the sentencing.

    "The death of my dad has left a hole in our family," she says.

    "A hole that can never be filled because of the actions of two teenagers...

    "I believe on that day the two teenagers made a choice; the 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... does not, I believe, reflect the severity of the crime they committed."

    She adds, though, that she understands the judge has guidelines.

  7. Judge's sentencing remarks have concluded

    Dan Martin
    BBC News, Leicester

    Mr Justice Turner has finished delivering his sentencing remarks at Leicester Crown Court.

    We are expecting to hear a short statement from Mr Kohli's family outside court shortly.

  8. Custody 'would do more harm than good', judge tells girl

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    The judge continues telling D2 that a custodial sentence will have an impact on her education.

    A short custodial sentence would do more harm than good, he says.

    He says she must have a youth rehabilitation order for three years and a supervision requirement for the same period. She will also be under an electronically monitored curfew for six months.

  9. Girl's role in killing was 'not a minor part'

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    The judge told D2 she was in a medium category of culpability. She continued to film the boy who intended to cause harm.

    The judge says he is not sure D2 expected D1 to attack Kohli with the level of violence he did.

    He tells the teenage girl she "did not play leading role" but it was not a minor part either.

    The judge then sets out some aggravating features - he had injuries and was an old and vulnerable man - and D2 encouraged D1 to carry on.

    But he tells her "you did not hurt Kohli directly".

    The judge says he does not find the involvement was due to Kohli's race. And there were mitigating factors - including no previous convictions and a troubled upbringing.

  10. Judge details 'mitigating features' for boy

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    The judge tells the boy he did not find he attacked Mr Kohli due to his race, even though the court heard he used racist language.

    "You made a cowardly attack on an elderly man," he says.

    "It was a lazy and very hurtful insult", the judge adds, adding Mr Kohli was in "severe pain" and no-one would forget his cries of agony.

    Mr Kohli was vulnerable due to his age, the judge adds, and the boy "took the lead" in the attack.

    But there are mitigating features, he says, including no previous convictions. He had also behaved more positively recently at the children's home.

    His home had not given him the best start, the judge says, and there are some mental health issues.

  11. Judge tells boy he needs to accept blame

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    As he sentenced the boy, the judge said: "I am sure you regret it but you still say it wasn't your fault.

    "The sooner you realise this the better."

  12. Girl given youth rehabilitation order and curfew
    Breaking

    Dan Martin
    BBC News, Leicester

    The girl defendant, known as D2, has been given a youth rehabilitation order of three years.

    She will also be subject to a six-month curfew.

  13. Boy sentenced to seven years in custody
    Breaking

    Matt Taylor
    BBC News, Leicester

    The boy, referred to by the judge as D1, has been sentenced to seven years' detention at a young offender institution.

    The girl's sentence will follow.

  14. Boy 'boasted to friends about attack'

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    After attacking Kohli, the judge says D1 and D2 "both made off".

    Mr Justice Turner says D1 was "boasting to your friends about what you had done and had bravely came to the rescue of D2".

    "But as we know, you attacked an elderly man."

    The judge then assesses the culpability and outlines guidelines for sentencing children compared to when sentencing adults for a similar offence.

  15. 'You were showing off and lost your temper'

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    The judge tells the two teenagers that part of what they did was seen in the park.

    "I am sure you were showing off and you lost your temper", he tells D1, the boy, and says the boy admitted it was "more than just a shove".

    Mr Kohli had three broken ribs to his left side and his neck was broken. You repeatedly kicked him hard in the ribs, the judge says.

    "I'm sure your intention, albeit for a short time, was to cause injuries," he said.

    The judge adds that D2, the girl, was "encouraging it".

  16. Boy 'wanted to impress girl' with attack

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    The judge continues to outline what happened on the day Bhim Kohli was killed - saying that he had gone to the park to walk the dog when he came into the vicinity of D1 and D2.

    Mr Justice Turner says he is sure D1 wanted to "confront" Mr Kohli in order to impress D2 as she was filming what was happening.

    He says D1 approached Mr Kohli while wearing a balaclava.

    "I am sure you knocked him to the ground and then hit him with your slider as he was trying to get up," the judge says.

    The judge says Kohli did nothing at all to deserve this.

  17. Judge pays tribute to 'dignity' of Kohli's family

    Gabriela Pomeroy
    Live reporter

    The judge pays tribute to the "dignity" with which members of Mr Kohli's family have conducted themselves.

    He said no-one could fail to be "deeply moved" by what happened to the family and their grief and anger will cast a "long shadow" over all of their lives.

  18. Judge to answer 'lingering questions'

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC News

    Judge Mr Justice Turner starts his sentencing remarks by saying he is not going to use complicated language and he will refer to the boy and girl as D1 and D2.

    He outlines how young the children are.

    "In each of the cases the jury found you both had committed manslaughter," he said.

    The judge says he will answer some of the questions which are still lingering - but before he does so he pays tribute to Bhim Kohli's family.

  19. The judge is back

    Dan Martin
    BBC News, Leicester

    The court clerk has informed people in the room that the judge, and him alone, will be filmed as he delivers the sentence.

    The court has now risen as Mr Justice Turner returns to the room.

    He is addressing counsel on a matter before he delivers his remarks.

  20. Defendants now back in the dock

    Dan Martin
    BBC News, Leicester

    The court room has filled up again.

    The girl has resumed her position in the dock and is sipping on a drink.

    The boy and security staff have also returned.

    There's a quiet chatter as we await the judge.