Sentence of British boy who killed Bhim Kohli, 80, to be reviewed for being unduly lenient
The solicitor general has referred the sentence handed down to a 15-year-old British boy for killing 80-year-old Indian-origin Punjab-born dog walker Bhim Kohli to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Several MPs and members of the public had requested for the sentence to be reviewed under the unduly lenient scheme.
The boy and a girl (13) were convicted of manslaughter on April 8 after a trial at which they pleaded not guilty. The pair were sentenced on June 5 at Leicester Crown Court.
Kohli was killed while walking his dog Rocky in a Leicestershire park on Sept 1 last year.
The boy, who was 14 at the time, wearing a balaclava, racially abused Kohli before slapping him across the face with his slider shoe as Kohli was kneeling, and then kicked and punched him to the ground.
He was sentenced to seven years in prison for attacking and injuring Kohli.
The girl, who was 12 at the time, was sentenced to a three-year youth rehabilitation order and six-month curfew, for encouraging the boy to use violence, filming the attack and laughing.
Kohli died in hospital the following day. Originally from Punjab, he had previously owned a factory that made jumpers.
A spokesperson for the attorney general's office told TOI: 'The solicitor general, Lucy Rigby, was appalled by this violent, cowardly attack on an innocent man.
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.'
The sentence of the 13-year-old girl will not be referred.
Peter Bedford, one of the MPs who had requested the sentence get reviewed, said: 'Whilst I welcome the referral of the male's sentence as being 'unduly lenient', I am shocked that the female's sentence, which is non-custodial in nature, has not been referred for reconsideration.'
Outside court, following the sentencing, Kohli's daughter, Susan, had said she felt angry and disappointed at the sentences.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
HC grants relief to man facing extradition for theft in Thailand
New Delhi: An Indian citizen fearing arrest or extradition for committing an offence abroad can seek anticipatory bail, has said, granting relief to a man facing extradition proceedings for alleged theft in Thailand. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice Sanjeev Narula, in a recent order, said the man remained accessible and demonstrated his willingness to cooperate with the inquiry. He added that the extradition request could be processed within the statutory framework without forfeiting his right to personal liberty. "Since the alleged offence occurred in Thailand, there is hardly any possibility of the petitioner tampering with evidence or intimidating any witness.... It must be noted that pursuant to the directions of this court, he submitted his passport to the custody of the registrar of this court," the court said. The court said he could be subjected to a conditional order under Section 438 instead of a custodial interlude. "Section 438 of the CrPC is not merely a statutory remedy; it is a procedural safeguard flowing directly from the constitutional command that no person shall be deprived of liberty except by just, fair, and reasonable procedure established by law," the court observed. The court was hearing the plea of Shankesh Mutha challenging a trial court's order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea under BNS read with the Extradition Act. The plea said Mutha worked at a firm in Bangkok in 2013 and returned to India after eight years. However, the company filed a complaint against him in 2021, alleging that he stole eight diamonds worth around 15.16 million baht (Rs 3.89 crore) and fled. The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant, and Thai prosecutors commenced extradition efforts. The high court found merit in Mutha's submission of not having knowledge about any criminal proceedings. "The petitioner has joined the inquiry... and there is no allegation of non-compliance or obstruction on his part," the court said.
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Economic Times
Ship catches fire off Yemen after being hit by unknown projectiles
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel DUBAI: A ship travelling through the Red Sea is reportedly on fire after coming under attack Sunday by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, authorities report said the unidentified vessel was later hit by what may have been bomb-carrying boats, setting it was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel war and airstrikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear suspicion immediately fell on Yemen 's Houthi rebels , who have launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea corridor in the past and have drone boats in their British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that an armed security team on the unidentified vessel had returned fire and that the "situation is ongoing." It described the attack as happening some 100 kilometres southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the country's Houthi rebels.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Bengal man tagged ‘illegal immigrant' by Assam, state steps in
1 2 Jalpaiguri: Bengal govt assured help to a Cooch Behar resident who received an NRC notice from Assam govt in Jan, accusing him of having entered India illegally from Bangladesh. The assurance came after Uttam Kumar Brajabashi (50) reached out to North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha on Sunday after he was given until July 15 to prove his citizenship. Brajabashi said he had never left Cooch Behar in his life. But in Jan this year, he got a notice from the local police that alleged that Assam govt had identified him as an illegal immigrant who entered India through the Assam border between 1966 and 1971, and had been residing in Dinhata. The notice claimed that Brajabashi could not present valid documents during police verification. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata His lawyer, Apurba Sinha, said Assam govt started the NRC case in 2015, but the letter reached the office of the Cooch Behar district SP nine years later, in Dec 2024. Sinha questioned how Assam could send an NRC-related letter to the district SP in Bengal when Bengal govt does not recognise NRC. According to the lawyer, Assam govt has demanded proof of his name on the voter list since he became an eligible voter but neither the district nor state administration have been able to provide the documents. On learning of the incident, minister Guha, who is also the Dinhata MLA, said, "Brajabashi is not only an Indian citizen but also a scheduled caste citizen. On what grounds did the SP of Kamrup district (in Assam) send an NRC-related letter to a citizen of Dinhata in Cooch Behar. This will not be tolerated here." Uttam Kumar Brajabashi's lawyer questioned how Assam govt could send a letter on NRC to the district SP in Bengal when Bengal govt does not recognise NRC
