Leicestershire Police confirmed on Tuesday, September 3, that five children – a boy and a girl aged 14, and two girls and a boy aged 12 – have been arrested on suspicion of murder after Bhim Sen Kohli passed away last night.
Kohli was just 30 seconds away from his home when the alleged young attackers assaulted him at 6:30 pm as he was walking his dog at his usual local spot, police stated today.
Elderly park
Sources also claim that the group of young people suspected to be responsible for the horrifying tragedy fled the scene after brutally assaulting him. The victim was left screaming in agony at the scene, his daughter said, according to The Sun. Furthermore, she told Leicester Mercury: “He had been taking the dog for a walk. They pushed him, they kicked in the neck, kicked in the spine,” Kohli’s daughter added, noting that they have been living in the area for 40 years. She also spoke about rushing to her father, “lying under a tree” after the attack. Emergency Services eventually arrived to assist Bhim Sen Kohli and took him to the hospital, where he later died.
Loving neighbour
One of Kohli’s neighbours paid tribute to him, saying that the victim was his friend and their allotments were next to each other.
Speaking of his character, the man continued, “He lived to attend his allotment and grew amazing veg and was not a threat to anyone.” He even praised Kohli as a “kind and considerate man.”
70-year-old neighbour Deep Singh Kalia had known Kohli for over 30 years and mentioned that they would meet up every day.
“We were both originally from Punjab in India. He loved his allotment, loved his dog, and loved his family.”
Expanding on the 80-year-old deceased victim’s prior engagements, Kalia said, “He used to own a factory that made jumpers and cardigans. He was very fit because he worked on his allotment all the time.”
Police release statement
Detective Inspector Emma Matts announced that Kohli’s death “has now become a murder investigation.” “We have made a number of arrests as we continue to understand what has happened,” she added while urging people in the area to come forward with any information that could assist the ongoing investigation.
Amid the ongoing investigation, scene preservation is still in place at the park where the horrifying incident occurred.
Leicestershire Police released a statement on Wednesday: “At 18:30 on Sunday 1st September 2024, an 80-year-old man was assaulted near the Franklin Park entrance, Bramble Way, Braunstone Town, and later died in hospital.”
Officials believe that Kohli was wearing a black jumper and grey jogging bottoms on the day of the vicious assault. Five children in the school-going bracket are being interviewed by the police.
Juvenile Crime Statistics in the UK (2023-2024)
The latest data on juvenile crime in the UK reveals several key trends:
- Youth Justice System Entrants: In the year ending March 2023, there were approximately 8,400 first-time entrants (FTEs) into the youth justice system in England and Wales. This represents a 1% increase compared to the previous year, marking the first rise in a decade. However, this number is still the second lowest in the time series. The increase was mainly observed among children aged 10 to 14, which saw a 7% rise in FTEs, while those aged 15 to 17 experienced a slight decrease of 1%.
- Arrests and Stop and Search: Arrests of juveniles increased by 9% compared to the previous year, totaling around 59,000 arrests. Stop and search incidents involving children also rose by 13%, reaching approximately 107,800 occurrences. Despite this increase, a significant majority (77%) of these searches resulted in no further action, with only 10% leading to arrests. Black children were disproportionately represented in stop and searches, accounting for 20% of all cases where ethnicity was known, despite making up a smaller percentage of the youth population.
- Custody and Sentencing: The number of children in custody continued to decline, reaching the lowest levels recorded. There were also reductions in the number of cautions and sentences for crimes involving knives among children, reflecting a broader downward trend in youth custodial sentences.
- Ethnic Disparities: Black children continue to be overrepresented in the youth justice system. The proportion of Black children involved in stop and searches was notably higher than their representation in the general population of 10 to 17-year-olds, highlighting ongoing concerns about racial disparity within the youth justice framework.
These statistics provide insight into the state of juvenile crime in the UK, indicating both improvements and areas that still require attention, particularly regarding racial disparities and the handling of minor offenses involving children.
