Leicester park murder trial jury sent home after judge falls ill
Jurors have heard more than a month of evidence about the death of 80-year-old Bhim Kohli, who died from a spinal cord injury.
A jury considering verdicts against two teenagers accused of killing an 80-year-old man has been sent home until Tuesday after the judge in the case fell ill.
A 15-year-old boy denies the murder and manslaughter of Bhim Kohli, who he is alleged to have kicked and punched during a “gratuitous” attack which left him with a broken neck and fractured ribs.
A girl aged 13, who is also standing trial at Leicester Crown Court, denies the manslaughter of Mr Kohli – having allegedly encouraged the fatal assault in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on September 1 last year.
A jury retired to consider it verdicts last Friday after hearing more than a month of evidence, including the accounts of both defendants.
Jurors resumed their deliberations on Monday morning, but were sent home shortly before a scheduled lunch break by Mr Justice Turner, who told the panel he was not feeling well.
The judge said: “Members of the jury, I have been struggling today – I am not well and I have held out until this lunchtime.
“I think it’s probably best that I call it a day now and see if I can recuperate by tomorrow. I’m suffering.
“I keep my fingers crossed that there has been some improvement in my condition.”
Addressing jurors last week, prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC used his closing speech to accuse the 15-year-old youth of having a desire to cause really serious physical injury to Mr Kohli.
The defendant, who denies murder, told the court he “fell on top of” Mr Kohli after the pensioner walked towards him saying something in an angry voice.
Lawyers acting for the female defendant maintain she did not encourage the boy to attack Mr Kohli, claiming what the prosecution suggested was her laughter during an interaction with the pensioner was “more like a gasp”.
