Seven people were seriously injured on Saturday night when a black Suzuki Swift struck pedestrians in Friar Gate, Derby city centre. The incident occurred outside the Bishop Blaise pub at approximately 9:30pm, with paramedics treating victims at the scene before transporting them to Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre.
Key Takeaways
A car struck seven pedestrians in Derby city centre on Saturday evening, injuring them seriously but not life-threateningly. The driver, Sandhu Ponnachan, was arrested and charged with multiple offences including grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.
- Seven people injured when a black Suzuki Swift mounted the pavement in Friar Gate
- Driver Sandhu Ponnachan, 36, originally from India, charged with six counts of GBH with intent, attempted GBH, dangerous driving, and possession of a bladed article
- All victims discharged from hospital; injuries described as serious but not life-threatening
- Police have been given until Tuesday evening to question the suspect
- Counter-terrorism officers assisting investigation but incident not treated as terrorism
The driver, Sandhu Ponnachan, a 36-year-old man originally from India who has lived in the UK for several years, was arrested shortly after on suspicion of attempted murder. He remains in police custody as investigations continue. Police have been given until Tuesday evening to question the suspect according to Sky News.
Ponnachan has now been charged with six counts of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, one count of attempted GBH with intent, dangerous driving, and possession of a bladed article. He is due before magistrates on Wednesday, April 1. Derbyshire detectives are leading the investigation with support from Counter Terrorism Policing colleagues. Although counter-terrorism officers are assisting, Derbyshire Police clarified that this does not mean the incident is currently being treated as terrorism.
The seven victims suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Four of them have been discharged from hospital according to Sky News and BBC. Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred described it as a 'horrific incident' that has 'shocked the city'. East Midlands Ambulance Service sent multiple vehicles to the scene.
The leader of Derby City Council, Nadine Peatfield, stated that the authority will "thoroughly consider the implications" of the incident. In response to calls for road barriers around "vulnerable" streets, Peatfield emphasized that the council is "constantly reviewing city centre safety". She noted that Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) measures have been integrated into public realm improvements to protect busy areas and public events from unauthorized vehicle access. The council's commitment remains to ensuring Derby is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 13 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.