Derby Man Charged With GBH After Car Strikes Seven Pedestrians on Friar Gate

Sandhu Ponnachan, 36, of Chariot Close, Alvaston, has been charged with nine offences after a black Suzuki Swift mounted the pavement on Friar Gate in Derby city centre and struck seven pedestrians outside the Bishop Blaise pub at approximately 9:30pm on Saturday, 28 March. He appeared before Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody.

The charges against Ponnachan are: six counts of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of attempted Section 18 GBH with intent, one count of dangerous driving, and one count of possession of a bladed article. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed prosecutors had "worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings," according to CPS representative Janine McKinney.

The seven victims, four men and three women aged between 36 and 52, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. They were taken to Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham. By Tuesday, four of the seven had been discharged. No deaths occurred, despite early online speculation to the contrary.

After striking the pedestrians, Ponnachan drove towards Ashbourne Road before turning onto St Alkmund's Way, on the other side of central Derby. Eyewitnesses tracked the vehicle's movements and reported them to police, who made the arrest just seven minutes after the incident. A forensic cordon remained on Friar Gate until approximately 3:00pm the following afternoon, Sunday 29 March, with forensic workers in white hazmat suits gathering evidence from the scene.

Counter-terrorism officers assisted the investigation, a decision Derbyshire Police described as routine. Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred was explicit that their involvement "does not mean the incident is currently being treated as terrorism," adding that officers were "keeping an open mind as to the motives." Aldred said the incident had "sent shockwaves through the community of Derby and the county as a whole," and appealed for any CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage while urging the public to avoid online speculation.

Derbyshire Police proactively disclosed that Ponnachan is originally from India and has lived in the UK for a number of years. The decision reflects a shift in UK force communications following the 2024 Southport mass stabbing, in which misinformation about the suspect's background was widely cited as a factor in fuelling nationwide anti-immigration unrest.

Catherine Atkinson, Labour MP for Derby North, told the BBC she was "deeply shocked," saying: "Like many I remain really shocked. You don't expect this to happen in our city." Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, said his thoughts were with everyone affected, while the Leader of Derby City Council described herself as "horrified."

Conservative councillor Steve Hassall, who represents the Allestree ward, wrote to council leaders and Derbyshire Police chiefs calling for a review of pedestrian safety infrastructure on Friar Gate and other high-footfall streets, citing what he described as "a lack of confidence that sufficient preventative measures are currently in place within our city centre." Possible bollards or physical barriers are among the measures under consideration.

Anyone with information can contact Derbyshire Police quoting incident reference 1131 of 28 March via the force's website or Facebook page.