Boy, 14, charged with murdering 80-year-old expected to go on trial next year

The boy, who cannot be named, appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday afternoon.

Bhim Kohli was walking his dog Rocky through the park (Leicestershire Police/PA)

A 14-year-old boy charged with murdering an 80-year-old grandfather is expected to go on trial next year.

Bhim Kohli died after suffering injuries during a serious assault while he was walking his dog in Franklin Park, seconds away from his home in Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, on Sunday evening.

The teenager, who cannot be identified because of his age, appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, sitting as a youth court, on Thursday morning after Leicestershire Police charged him with murder.

He was remanded in custody and attended a hearing at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday afternoon.

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

The judge said to the youth, who sat in the dock wearing a black outfit: “You have been sent to the crown court today. There is a long way to go before this matter comes to trial.

“A trial is likely to be held in February of next year. You will be remanded in custody into youth detention and you will stay there at least until the plea and trial preparation hearing, unless an application is made in the mean time.”

A provisional trial date has been set for February 17 next year.

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.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Kohli’s cause of death as a neck injury, pending further tests, police said.

In a statement released by police, Mr Kohli’s family said he enjoyed walking the family dog at the park “many times a day” and called him a “loving, caring person”.