A TEEN boy made a chilling remark after he battered an OAP to death in a park to “release anger” at being dumped, a court heard.
Bhim Kohli, 80, was just 30 seconds from home when he was violently beaten in Franklin Park near Leicester in September last year.
A 13-year-old girl has gone on trial at Leicester Crown Court accused of manslaughter, while a 15-year-old boy denies murder.
Jurors heard how Bhim was walking his dog on September 1 at around 6.18pm when the horror unfolded.
The court was told Bhim was forced to his knees and slapped with the boy’s slider while the girl – then aged 12 – filmed it on her phone while laughing.
After he was charged with murder, the boy wrote a letter to a “professional” about how he’d been dumped by his girlfriend and “needed anger etc releasing”, it was said.
When he was told the letter would have to be disclosed to prosecutors as part of the investigation, he replied: “That’s my manslaughter plea gone”.
Opening the case today, prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC told how the boy, who was 14 at the time, and girl “used racist taunts” against Bhim.
He suffered fractured ribs and a spinal cord injury during the “intense attack”, it was said.
Mr Sandhu added: “The prosecution say that as a result of causing those injuries, (the boy) is guilty of murdering Bhim Kohli and that (the girl) who encouraged the causing of those injuries is guilty of manslaughter.”
The girl, who was aged 12 at the time, and the boy had entered the park shortly him after Bhim with other youngsters.
When the group saw Bhim, the girl claimed he had tried to hit their friend “with a stick”.
The court heard three of the group ran away, with one later revealing this was because they “know how [the boy] is….he’s either gonna start on him or be mean to him or something”.
Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC said the girl remained with the boy as he put a balaclava on to “support him in what was about to happen” and “encourage” the violence.
Jurors heard Bhim was forced to his knees by the male defendant while his co-accused filmed the attack.
One video played to the court showed the grandad being slapped with a slider shoe by the boy as the girl laughed and moved closer to film.
Mr Sandhu said: “What we saw on that clip was just pure violence.”
Bhim tragically tried to call one of his grandsons during the alleged attack but he did not picked up.
The court heard he also attempted to leave the park but the pair followed him as Bhim desperately tried to defend himself.
The last clip, which was filmed at 6.27pm, showed the dad lying on his side and not moving.
Just 48 seconds later, he had suffered fatal injuries after being subjected to more violence, it was said.
Jurors heard his son Virinder found his dad on the ground in “obvious pain” with injuries to his left side and his neck.
Bhim later told a paramedic he had been attacked by a boy, who punched and kicked him as he was called a racial slur.
As medics battled to save his life, the teen defendants fled towards their friends, who had left the park.
They were allegedly heard “bragging” about what they had done and laughing about the attack.
At one point, the boy said “he whacked his head off a log”, before the girl added: “Oh, I know. I saw that. It goes doosh.”
Allotment-loving Bhim was rushed to hospital but sadly couldn’t be saved and died the following evening.
Jurors heard the boy gave different accounts of what happened – claiming he “could not stop kicking” the OAP.
He also said: “I didn’t mean to batter him, it was one hit and then my anger turn in. I regret it man I do.”
The boy searched for Franklin Park on Google the day after the horror and read a news article about Bhim.
He messaged his mum, saying: “Police are looking for me because of Franklin.
” I can’t come back tonight, I will explain when I have a chance. I’m sorry.”
The boy was arrested the day after the attack at his home, where police officers found him hiding in a bush or tree, it was said.
He told police Bhim had taken photos of him and stolen his slider but failed to mention that he’d struck him with it, the court was told.
He and the girl also allegedly “made up an account” that Bhim had pulled a knife out.
But Mr Sandhu said: “It was not Mr Kohli’s habit to carry a knife, no knife was recovered from the clothing that Mr Kohli was wearing at the time, and no knife was recovered from Franklin Park.
“The truth is, we suggest, that there was not a knife, and if there was not a knife, Mr Kohli did not pull a knife out on (the girl).”
The girl has denied manslaughter, while the boy denies murder and manslaughter.
The trial continues.
