Two teenagers have been found guilty of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Kohli, who died after a brutal attack in a park near Leicester.
A 15-year-old boy kicked, punched and racially abused Mr Kohli while he was walking his dog in Braunstone Town in September 2024. He was found guilty of manslaughter at Leicester Crown Court.
While Mr Kohli was on his knees, the boy removed one of his sliders and slapped him in the face.
A 13-year-old girl, then aged 12, filmed the assault. She laughed and encouraged the violence. She was also found guilty of manslaughter.
Mr Kohli suffered a broken neck and three broken ribs. He died in hospital the next day.
Paramedics were told by Mr Kohli that the boy had racially abused and attacked him.
Harpreet Sandhu KC, prosecuting, told jurors: “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].
“[The girl] made a noise. That noise was her laughing. She laughed as [the boy] assaulted Mr Kohli.”
Mr Sandhu said the girl had known what would happen and wanted to film it.
He said: “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.”
The boy’s actions, Mr Sandhu said, were “gratuitous violence against a man who was defenceless and a man who, because he was on the ground, was in a vulnerable position”.
The pair, who cannot be named due to their age, were among five children in the park that evening.
Only the convicted teenagers approached Mr Kohli. The others fled.
One later told police: “I thought he was either going to start on him or be mean.”
The boy had denied murder and manslaughter. In police interviews, he claimed he thought Bhim Kohli was about to hit the girl and fell on top of him trying to stop it.
In custody, the boy wrote: “I regret it so much. I have flashbacks of that day and it just upsets me. I just want my freedom or even to go back and not do it.
“I feel like my case is evil. I ain’t that type of person. I kinda just needed anger etc releasing.
“I feel like I have let my mum down so much. I am nervous, well scared and worried. I accept I did it and I am doing time. I am just scared about how long I have to do.”
When told the letter would be disclosed, he said: “That’s my manslaughter plea gone.”
The court heard the girl’s phone contained videos of the attack.
Mr Kohli’s family described him as “a loving, caring person whose life centred around his family”.
His daughter, Susan Kohli, said in a statement: “The boy, who told witnesses he had anger problems and couldn’t stop, used violence so severe that he broke three of Dad’s ribs and neck, which caused trauma to his spinal column.
“Videos of the incident were filmed and shockingly found on the girl’s phone.
“Dad did not deserve this, and we wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone else… Hearing the girl laugh at this assault on Dad is utterly disgusting. This sound plays over and over in our heads.
“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.”
The boy was remanded in custody. The girl was granted bail. Sentencing is due on May 20, 2025.
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