TOI Correspondent from London: 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.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.
