Boy’s sentence for killing man, 80, to be reviewed

The sentence given to a 15-year-old boy who racially abused and killed an 80-year-old man in Leicestershire will be reviewed.

Bhim Kohli died in hospital a day after being attacked while walking his dog Rocky at Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, in September.

The boy was sentenced to seven years in custody, while a 13-year-old girl who filmed and encouraged the attack was given a youth rehabilitation order of three years and made subject to a six-month curfew. Both were convicted of manslaughter.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has referred the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The AGO confirmed it had not referred the girl’s sentence to the Court of Appeal.

During the sentencing hearing in June, prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC said Mr Kohli was subjected to a “seven-and-a-half minute period of continuing aggression” at the park.

The boy racially abused Mr Kohli, attacked him and slapped him in the face with a slider shoe, while the girl laughed as she filmed it on her phone.

The attack left Mr Kohli with three broken ribs and other fractures, but Mr Sandhu KC said the fatal injury was to his spinal cord, caused by a spine fracture.

Following sentencing, Mr Kohli’s daughter Susan Kohli said she felt angry and disappointed the punishments did not match the severity of the crime.

An AGO spokesperson said: “The Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby KC MP, was appalled by this violent, cowardly attack on an innocent man.

“She wishes to express her deepest sympathies to Bhim Kohli’s friends and family at this difficult time.

“After undertaking a detailed review of the case, the Solicitor General concluded the sentence of the 15-year-old boy could be referred to the Court of Appeal.

“The court will determine if the sentence is increased or not.”