Boy, 14, appears in court charged with murder of Leicestershire grandfather Bhim Kohli in Franklin Park

Bhim Kohli died after being seriously injured near the entrance of a Leicestershire park

Bhim Kohli died after being seriously injured near the entrance of Franklin Park (Family Handout/PA) (PA Media)

A 14-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with murdering an 80-year-old grandfather as he walked his dog in a Leicestershire park.

Bhim Kohli died from serious injuries suffered while walking his dog Rocky in Franklin Park, close to his home in Braunstone Town on the edge of Leicester on Sunday evening.

The teenager appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, acting as a youth court, this morning before a hearing at Leicester Crown Court in the afternoon.

Judge William Harbage KC adjourned the case for a plea hearing to take place on October 11 at the same court.

The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

Four other children – a girl aged 14 and one boy and two girls aged 12 – were arrested on suspicion of murder, but were released with no further action.

Leicestershire Police said a post-mortem examination found that Mr Kohli died as a result of a neck injury, pending further tests.

His family have described him as a “loving, caring person” who enjoyed walking their family dog at the park “many times a day”.

Leicestershire Police said it had made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to prior contact with the victim.

Following further contact with the watchdog, the force has now made a mandatory referral.