Two UK teens found guilty of assaulting and killing 80-year-old Indian origin man

Two teenagers have been found guilty of killing an 80-year-old Indian origin man during an attack in a Leicester park in September 2023.
While Bhim Sen Kohli took out his dog for a walk in Franklin Park on September 1, 2023, he was approached and assaulted by a 14-year-old boy. Kohli sustained injuries at the time but succumbed later. The boy was encouraged by a 12 year old girl who was also filming the entire incident. Both teenagers, now aged 15 and 13, were found guilty of manslaughter at Leicester Crown court on Tuesday, 8 April.
The court heard how the boy, wearing a balaclava, carried out the unprovoked attack after the girl pointed out Kohli and encouraged him to act. As the rest of the group quickly left the park, the boy and girl approached the elderly man. The boy then launched a violent assault on Kohli, which the girl recorded on her phone. The footage captured her laughing as the attack took place. After the assault, the pair fled the scene, leaving the senior citizen badly injured and alone.
The teens later rejoined their friends, bragging and laughing about what had happened. However, as the seriousness of their actions became clear, they began spreading lies about Kohli to deflect blame.
Kelly Matthews from the Crown Prosecution Service said, “This tragic incident shocked the community of Leicester and beyond. Mr Kohli set out to walk his dog in his local park as he did every day, but lost his life in what followed.”
“We have shown in this trial that these young defendants were responsible for Mr Kohli’s death – in an unprovoked attack on an innocent man. They filmed the incident and laughed and bragged about it afterwards,” she said.
Prosecutors brought the case under the principle of joint enterprise, arguing that while the boy physically carried out the fatal attack, the girl played a crucial role in encouraging and recording it. Disturbing footage found on her phone showed not only the attack, but also previous violent content, suggesting a pattern of behaviour. The boy later admitted the assault in a letter to a social worker and to several witnesses. Both teenagers were found guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder.
“ The circumstances surrounding this incident are truly tragic and heartbreaking. Bhim Kohli was simply doing what he did every day, walking his dog in the park that was just yards from his own front,” said detective chief Inspector Mark Sinski, from the East Midlands special operations unit murder investigation team.
"But instead of being able to enjoy an evening stroll with Rocky on a warm summer's day, he was confronted by a teenage boy, who was encouraged by a teenage girl, attacked him and left him in agony on the floor."
He further added that the age of the defendants in the case has added to the devastating circumstances surrounding this incident and complexities in the case.
“They will have to deal with the enormity that their actions resulted in a man losing his life and the consequences this now brings," he said.
The victim's daughter, Susan Kohli, also released a statement on behalf of the family to pay tribute to her father.
“Listening to the enormity of what Dad was subjected to will never leave us. 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 said.
“One of the videos showed dad on his knees being hit over the head with the boy's slider. A loud horrible slapping sound is heard when the boy struck dad. Hearing the girl laugh at this assault on dad is utterly disgusting. This sound plays over and over in our heads.”
“Dad did not deserve this, and we wouldn't wish this pain on anyone else… 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.”
She also expressed regret for not being able to hear his call for help as he attempted to call his grandson.
Both teens are scheduled to be sentenced in May.