Man who drove car into wedding party crowd jailed

Singh was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and banned from driving for 12 years

A man who drove his car into a crowd of people at a wedding party has been jailed.

Govinder Singh, 28, was called to the party at The Regent Sport and Social Club in Leicester on 31 May to help his brother.

As he approached the venue in his Volkswagen Tiguan, he accelerated and drove into a group outside, leaving one woman with a permanent injury.

On Friday at Leicester Crown Court, Singh, of Gwendolen Road, Evington in Leicester, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and banned from driving for 12 years.

A number of people were knocked down in De Montfort Street on 31 May

Recorder Dan Stacey called Singh's crimes a "shocking and violent attack".

The court heard how after driving into the crowd, in an alleyway off De Montfort Way, Singh "jumped out of the car and started throwing punches".

He removed his registration plates from the car before he left the scene.

Singh later claimed the crash was an accident, saying he had been going to the aid of his brother and was wearing "sliders" when his foot "slipped".

'Anxiety, pain and trauma'

A woman who worked at the club was among the people Singh ran over.

In an earlier statement heard by the court, she said: "Out of nowhere a car had come flying towards me at speed and knocked me off my feet."

The staff member suffered a complex pelvic fracture and other injuries that had a "serious impact on her", Mr Recorder Stacey told the court.

On Friday, the victim attended court in a wheelchair.

Her partner - who is now the woman's carer - was also struck by Singh's car and had little memory of the incident before waking up in an ambulance, the court heard.

A cousin of Singh - who he knocked down - said he "thought he had died", after waking up in hospital.

The court heard Singh's cousin suffered a head injury with an open scalp wound, a brain bleed and a fractured knee cap.

Mr Recorder Stacey said the victim "suffers from anxiety, pain and trauma", following the incident.

Singh pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent in relation to two victims and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

At his sentencing, Singh was told he would also have his car taken away.