A 12-year-old girl has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of pensioner Bhim Kohli, who died after an alleged attack while walking his dog in a park near his home.

Mr Kohli, aged 80, died in hospital on September 2, a day after being seriously injured in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, near Leicester.

The girl appeared on Monday before Leicester Youth Court, sitting at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, and was ordered to appear at the city’s Crown Court on February 3.

The defendant, who cannot be named because of her age, was granted bail after a short hearing.

A 15-year-old boy charged with Mr Kohli’s murder three days after the incident is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court later this week.

An inquest opened and adjourned last month was told a preliminary cause of death had previously been given as a neck injury, pending further tests.

Mr Kohli died at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham on the evening of September 2.

His family said in a statement at the time: “Bhim was a loving husband, dad and granddad. He was also a son, brother and uncle.

“He adored his grandkids with all his heart and loved spending time with them.

“He really was such a loving, caring person whose life was centred around his family.”