Bhim Kohli's teenage killer to have sentence reviewed at Court of Appeal
Mr Kohli, 80, was punched and kicked, slapped in the face with a shoe and racially abused in an attack in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on September 1 last year, and died the next day.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years' custody in June, when he was aged 15.
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) announced in July that the Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby, had referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
Lawyers for the teenager will also make a bid to have the sentence reduced at the same hearing.
Following a six-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, the boy was convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder.
A 13-year-old girl, who also cannot be named, was convicted alongside him.
She encouraged the attack by filming parts of it while laughing, with video clips showing the balaclava-clad boy hitting Mr Kohli with a shoe.
The girl was sentenced to a three-year youth rehabilitation order by Mr Justice Turner, but her sentence has not been referred to the Court of Appeal.
Mr Kohli's children found him lying on the ground in agony, when he told his daughter that he had been called a 'Paki' during the attack, the court heard in the trial.
Jurors also heard the boy say in his evidence that he had a 'tussle' with Mr Kohli over his slider shoe before he slapped the elderly man with it out of 'instinct', which caused the pensioner to fall to his knees, but that he denied kicking or punching him.
In a letter written by the boy to a woman who had worked with him at the residential unit where he was being looked after, he wrote: 'I f****** hate what I did. I regret it so much.
'I have flashbacks of that day and it just upsets me. I kinda just needed anger etc releasing.'
Mid Leicestershire MP Peter Bedford and the MP for South Leicestershire, Alberto Costa, wrote to the AGO in June asking for the sentences to be reviewed.
A spokesperson for the AGO said last month that Ms Rigby was 'appalled by this violent, cowardly attack on an innocent man'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WATCH: Jamie Rothwell dances for the camera after arrest by police in Spain
THIS is the moment a dangerous drug and gun gang leader danced for the camera when he was arrested in Spain. Jamie Rothwell was jailed for 39 years, with a further four years on extended licence, at Manchester Crown Court today, Thursday. The 38-year-old used encrypted messaging network EncroChat to orchestrate huge drug and weapon deals, believing he was acting under the radar. He also used the platform to plot two shootings in Warrington, one of which left a man with life-changing injuries after being blasted in the leg by a bogus pizza deliveryman. But he was rumbled when police gained access to the encrypted messages – and when he sent a selfie of himself, allowing officers to attribute him to the 'live-long' handle he was using. In April 2020, following the infiltration of EncroChat by international law enforcement agencies, specialist detectives launched a covert investigation into a large-scale drug, money laundering, and firearms conspiracy. When the encrypted platform was compromised in April 2020, Rothwell was living in Spain and continuing to orchestrate the importation and distribution of drugs, firearms, and criminal cash from abroad. Despite his attempts to evade justice, detectives were able to monitor his encrypted communications in real time. This exposed his command over a sprawling criminal enterprise and his involvement in the trafficking of high-powered weapons, including AK-47 rifles. His drug empire was estimated to have a street value of around £26million, and he was deported back to the UK in 2021 to face trial. The selfie Rothwell sent over EncroChat Rothwell was jailed alongside nine co-conspirators involved in his drug gang, with the nine jailed for a combined 163 years and 10 months. The sentence was welcomed by Wayne Johns, the National Crime Agency's senior investigating officer for Operation Venetic – the UK's response to the EncroChat infiltration. He said: 'The NCA used its global reach to trace and arrest Jamie Rothwell, not just once, but twice, bringing him back from Spain and then Holland when he went on the run a second time. 'Fugitives should take note of the NCA's tenacity in tracing wanted offenders and, working with partners such as GMP and Cheshire Police, we will never give up on finding and returning those who have fled justice. 'More than 2,200 criminals have been convicted under Operation Venetic, and Jamie Rothwell is one of the most dangerous. READ MORE: Notorious EncroChat gun and drug gangster jailed for 39 years over revenge shooting 'We have worked incredibly hard to turn tide of fear in Warrington' – police say Aggrieved boyfriend created fake social media profiles to stalk ex after dumping Driver of 'rogue' electric car stopped by police on M62 denies fraud charges 'Throughout the operation, the NCA and UK police have stopped 200 threats to life, seized more than £84million in criminal funds and in excess of eight tonnes of class A drugs, and recovered 175 firearms and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition. "UK law enforcement will continue doing everything possible to protect the public from serious and organised crime.' Rebecca Macaulay Addison, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service added: 'The sentencing of these men concludes five years' work by the CPS, prosecution counsel, Cheshire Police, and Greater Manchester Police, assisted by the NCA. 'The use of EncroChat communication devices as part of their involvement in serious organised criminal activities ultimately led to their offending coming to light. Rothwell was involved in the transfer of an AK-47 submachine gun 'It was evident from EncroChat messages obtained that Jamie Rothwell played a leading role, which included him organising the purchase and supply of class A drugs, firearms, ammunition, and directing acts of extreme violence. 'The others who have been sentenced today and at previous hearings all played their part in the same criminal activities. 'The CPS continues to work tirelessly to ensure that those who engage in such activity are brought to justice. 'We will pursue confiscation proceedings against the defendants to ensure that they do not profit from the money gained through their crimes.'
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Mayor Of Chicago Fired Back At Donald Trump Calling Him "Incompetent," And His Response Is Going Viral For Being The "Bar Of The Year"
The Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, is going viral for his "brilliant" takedown of a reporter and Donald Trump, which people are calling the "bar of the year." Chicago — like other major cities across the nation — is preparing for a potential "federal takeover of policing" following Donald Trump's issuing of National Guard troops on the streets of Washington, D.C. in the name of fighting crime. Recent videos of FBI and DEA agents patrolling the streets of Georgetown — a D.C. neighborhood — wearing tactical gear have gone viral online. FNTV / Twitter: @ScooterCasterNY Related: "If we need to, we're going to do the same thing in Chicago, which is a disaster," Trump said in a recent press conference. "We have a mayor there that's totally incompetent. He's an incompetent man." It's important to note that, according to FBI statistics, violent crime in Chicago is down. Well, the mayor of Chicago was repeatedly asked by a reporter to respond to Trump calling him "incompetent," and his response is going super-viral. "What do you say to Donald Trump? How did you feel when Donald Trump called you 'incompetent?' Please answer that question if you will," a reporter asked from the crowd. Related: "OK. Fine. Since you are begging," Johnson replied to the reporter. The reporter then tried to interrupt, but Johnson continued. "So let me just answer that. I do appreciate you begging," he repeated. "So, I will just say it like this, that the President has always been intimidated by the intellectual prowess of Black men." Related: "And so, of course, he would speak in those petite and puerile terms, because he's small." The clip of the interaction has received over 1.5 million views on TikTok and thousands of comments. People are absolutely obsessed with Johnson's quick-witted response, with many applauding the way he addressed the eager reporter. ...Others called Johnson's comments on the President the "bar of the year." Related: "Using vocabulary that he won't even understand is damn poetic," one person wrote. "*MAGA furiously googles petite and puerile,*" another person joked. And this person praised Black politicians who have clapped back at Trump. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News:
CBS News
10 minutes ago
- CBS News
Man accused of killing married hikers in Devil's Den State Park pleads not guilty to murder charges
The teacher who authorities say admitted to fatally stabbing two hikers at Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas last month pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Thursday. Andrew James McGann, 28, entered the plea during a brief hearing before a state judge at Washington County's jail Thursday morning. Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor scheduled McGann's next hearing for Nov. 14. McGann has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, on July 26. The pair were found dead on a walking trail in the park. They had been in the park with their young daughters, aged 7 and 9. McGann allegedly attacked Clinton Brink first, officials said in a news conference after McGann's arrest. Cristen Brink rushed the girls to safety, then returned to help her husband. Both adults were stabbed to death, police said. The children were found uninjured about half a mile into the park. The girls are now in the care of relatives. The family said the couple died "heroes protecting their little girls." A five-day manhunt followed the killings. McGann was taken into police custody at a barbershop in Springdale, Arkansas, on July 30. He was charged the next day. Springdale is roughly 30 miles north of Devil's Den State Park. Arkansas State Police Col. Mike Hagar said in the news conference that police do not have a motive for the killings, and have no reason to believe McGann knew the Brinks or their children. McGann was set to start a new job at Springdale Public Schools, but had not come into contact with any families or students, the district said in a statement. McGann previously worked in Texas and Oklahoma, and left a job in Tulsa to take the position in Springdale. Officials said McGann had no criminal history and no known mental illness history. State police have said McGann admitted to the killings shortly after his arrest and that investigators matched his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. Police said McGann was injured during the attack, which led to his blood being left at the scene. Authorities also received hundreds of tips from the public, including video footage that they said was instrumental in capturing McGann. Devil's Den is a 2,500-acre state park about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock, the capital city of Arkansas. The park is surrounded by the Ozark National Forest, and some hiking trails lead into those woods.
