Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Girl denies targeting Bhim Kohli before fatal park attack

Kohli died the day after he was assaulted in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, in September last year.

Girl denies targeting Bhim Kohli before fatal park attack
Bhim Kohli. (Photo: Facebook)

A 13-year-old girl, who filmed part of a fatal attack on an elderly man, has denied that she used a photograph of the victim to “target” him before the assault.

The girl is currently on trial for the manslaughter of Bhim Kohli, an 80-year-old who was attacked in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, on 1 September last year.


Kohli, who had been out walking his dog near his home, passed away the following day after sustaining serious injuries in the attack. The girl, who was 12 at the time, is accused of pointing Kohli out to a 15-year-old boy who then allegedly punched and kicked him, even slapping him with a slider shoe.

During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, jurors heard that the girl had taken a photograph of Kohli a week before the attack. The image, captured on 24 August, showed Kohli in the park holding twigs.

The prosecutor, Harpreet Sandhu KC, questioned why the girl kept the photo on her phone. The defendant denied any malicious intent, saying she didn’t know why she saved it, and insisted it was not kept to show others or to “target” Kohli.

Sandhu asked if she kept the photo to use it later to identify Kohli, but the girl denied this as well. When questioned about the fatal incident, the girl claimed she did not point Kohli out to the boy, even though the prosecutor suggested that her actions led directly to the assault.

The girl maintained she didn’t know Kohli would be in the park that evening and denied encouraging the boy’s violent behaviour. The incident unfolded when Kohli was allegedly approached by the boy, who was seen wearing a balaclava moments after the two entered the park.

The girl, who filmed part of the assault, denied egging on the boy as he attacked Kohli. She also denied knowing the boy was going to be violent.

In her defence, the girl explained that she had moved the video clips she took of Kohli into a private section of Snapchat so that others wouldn’t see them. She claimed she had forgotten to inform the police about the videos when they were first questioned.

Prosecutors also presented footage showing the girl laughing as the boy struck Kohli with his shoe, but the defendant denied laughing at the violence, insisting it was a “gasp” of shock. The girl told the court that she felt worried when Kohli, who was on the ground after the assault, came close to her, raising his arms in a slapping motion. She added that she stepped back, expecting him to strike her, but the boy then intervened.

The trial also heard from the girl about prior incidents involving Kohli. She stated that, on one occasion, Kohli had hit a friend of hers with sticks and that he had used abusive language when a group of children threw apples at him in the park.

The boy involved in the attack, who denies murder and manslaughter, is also on trial. Both defendants cannot be named due to their ages.

Trial in the case continues, with further evidence expected in the coming days.

More For You

Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Air India crash probe finds fuel to engines was cut off before impact

Highlights

 
     
  • Fuel to both engines of the Air India flight was cut off seconds before the crash
  •  
  • A pilot was heard questioning the other over the cut-off; both denied initiating it.
  •  
  • The Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.
  •  
  • Investigators are focusing on fuel switch movement; full analysis may take months.

FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)

Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.

The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian-inspired garden earns
five awards at Hampton Court

(From left) Malcolm Anderson (RHS, head of sustainability) Clare Matterson (RHS director general), Lorraine Bishton (Subaru UK and Ireland, managing director) Andrew Ball (director, Big Fish Landscapes) Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews with the medals

Asian-inspired garden earns five awards at Hampton Court

BRITISH Asians are being encouraged to take up gardening by a couple who have won a record five medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

“It’s a contemporary reimagining of a traditional walled garden, highlighting the British and Irish rainforests,” said Jewlsy Mathews, who was born in Britain of parents from Kerala, a southern Indian state known for its lush vegetation.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less