A 36-year-old man has been charged with a string of offences after a car ploughed into crowds in Derby city centre.

Seven people suffered serious injuries when a Suzuki Swift mounted a pavement and mowed down pedestrians at 9.30pm in Friar Gate on Saturday 28 March.

Local shop owners reported hearing ‘banging and screaming’ from the street as emergency services rushed to the scene.  

Sandhu Ponnachan was later arrested and has now  been charged with six counts of GBH with intent, one count of attempted GBH with intent, dangerous driving and possession of a bladed article. 

He has been remanded into into custody and will appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 1. 

Ponnachan is understood to have lived in the East Midlands for several years after moving from India. 

Four of the seven victims – four men and three women aged between 36 and 52 – have been discharged from hospital, police confirmed. All of the victims’ injuries are non-life-threatening. 

Counter-terrorism officers had been assisting with the police’s investigation into the incident, which unfolded outside the city’s Bishop Blaise pub. 

Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred, of Derbyshire Police, said: ‘This incident has, naturally, sent shockwaves through the community of Derby and the county as a whole. 

Seven people suffered serious injuries when a Suzuki swift mounted a pavement and mowed down pedestrians at 9.30pm in Friar Gate on Saturday 28 March

Forensic investigators are pictured at the scene in Derby on Sunday morning

‘My thoughts, and those of the wider force, remain with each of the seven injured people, their families, and witnesses at the scene.  

‘We are still very keen to hear from who anyone who may have CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage that could assist our enquiries and would urge you to contact us via the details below, if you have not already done so.

‘As a final word, now that charges have been made I’d ask for the cooperation of the public to allow the judicial process to continue without any speculation online or elsewhere that could impede the pursuit of justice for all those affected.’

Speaking to reporters after the crash last weekend, Derbyshire City Council leader Nadine Peatfield described the crash as ‘horrific’. 

She also warned that Friar Gate would be closed to cars this Easter bank holiday.  

‘We want people to feel reassured that they can continue to come out,’ Ms Peatfield added. 

‘My heart goes out to everybody that’s been injured in this incident and everyone that’s witnessed it, of course, their friends and loved ones. It’s just horrific.

‘As an immediate reassurance to people in our city, we will ensure that over the bank holiday weekend no vehicles will be able to come down Friar Gate in those evenings when people are out celebrating.’

Claire Ward, mayor of the East Midlands, said it was a ‘serious but isolated incident’.

‘I know that for those not just involved who were injured on the evening, but who were around the city centre and had first-hand experience of what happened, this will be a really frightening time,’ she said.

‘The city itself, and all our agencies, will want to do all it can to support people at this difficult time.

‘We know the repercussions of violent acts like this don’t end just in that moment.

‘There will be real upset and trauma for many people who witnessed what happened on the night as well, of course, as those victims who were directly impacted, but we understand that there were no fatalities and that two people have already been discharged from hospital and more we hope, soon.’  

Janine McKinny of the Crown Prosecution Service added: ‘The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Sandhu Ponnachan with six counts of six counts of Section 18 GBH 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 following a police investigation into the incident in Derby on Saturday evening.

‘Our prosecutors have 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. 

‘We have worked carefully with Derbyshire Police as they carried out their investigation.’