For Nigerians and other immigrant communities living across the United Kingdom, major court decisions and criminal justice cases are not just headlines, they shape conversations about safety, accountability and life within diverse diaspora communities. At Chijos News, we report important legal developments in a clear and responsible way so readers across the diaspora understand what is happening in the UK and how the justice system works. Our goal is to present facts with context, helping migrants stay informed about public safety issues, major court rulings and policies affecting communities across the country. One recent case from Leicester has drawn national attention after the Court of Appeal ruled that the original prison sentence given to a violent offender was too lenient and increased the punishment following a government referral.
A man from Leicester who drove his car into a group of people during a violent confrontation outside a nightclub has had his prison sentence increased after the case was reviewed by the Court of Appeal.
Govinder Singh originally received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence at Leicester Crown Court in November 2025. However, after the case was referred by the Solicitor General under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, senior judges ruled that the punishment did not properly reflect the seriousness of the attack.
On Friday, 6 March 2026, the Court of Appeal increased Singh’s prison term to ten years.
The decision followed concerns raised by the government’s law officers that the original sentence did not fully reflect the level of violence involved or the lasting harm suffered by victims.
The incident that led to the conviction took place on the night of 31 March 2025 in Leicester. According to evidence presented in court, Singh had been contacted by his brother after an altercation outside a local nightclub.
His brother had reportedly been ejected from the venue and was involved in a fight on the street outside the club.
Instead of staying away from the situation, Singh drove to the scene. What happened next shocked those present that night.
Prosecutors told the court that Singh drove his car directly into a group of people who were fighting outside the club. The vehicle struck several individuals before Singh got out of the car and continued the attack on foot.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as people tried to escape the vehicle and the violence that followed.
In total, four men were injured during the attack. One woman suffered particularly serious harm and was left with permanent injuries that will affect her life long after the incident.
The emotional impact of the attack also became clear during court proceedings.
One of the victims told the Crown Court that they continued to suffer anxiety, physical pain and lasting trauma as a result of the incident. The psychological effects of the attack had not faded even months later.
In a disturbing detail revealed during the case, another victim injured during the violence was reported to be Singh’s own cousin.
The case drew further attention when the Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, reviewed the sentence and decided to intervene using the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
This legal mechanism allows certain criminal sentences in England and Wales to be referred to the Court of Appeal if they appear too low for the seriousness of the offence.
After reviewing the details of the case, the Solicitor General concluded that the original sentence deserved further scrutiny.
Speaking after the Court of Appeal increased the punishment, she said the offender had deliberately used his vehicle in a reckless and dangerous way.
According to Reeves, Singh had driven toward the crowd with the intention of causing significant harm.
She said his actions had left multiple people injured and permanently changed the life of one victim.
Reeves welcomed the court’s decision to increase the sentence, stating that it recognised the severity of the violent events that unfolded that night.
The original sentencing hearing took place at Leicester Crown Court on 7 November 2025. Singh was convicted of three counts of grievous bodily harm, commonly known as GBH, which refers to serious physical injury inflicted during an assault.
At that time, the court sentenced him to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
In addition to the prison term, he was banned from driving for twelve years.
However, following the government’s referral, the Court of Appeal reconsidered the punishment and ultimately ruled that the sentence should be increased.
The judges added an additional two and a half years to the prison term, bringing the total sentence to ten years.
Cases referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme are relatively rare, but they play an important role in ensuring that serious crimes receive appropriate punishment when concerns are raised about earlier sentencing decisions.
The scheme allows victims, members of the public and government law officers to request a review when they believe a sentence does not match the severity of the offence.
The Leicester case highlights how the appeals system can intervene when the justice system determines that a crime warrants a stronger penalty.
For the victims involved, the Court of Appeal’s ruling represents recognition of the gravity of the attack and the long-term consequences it has had on their lives.
For communities across the UK, it also serves as a reminder of how acts of violence can escalate rapidly and leave lasting damage far beyond the moment in which they occur.
As the case closes with the revised sentence, the focus now turns to the victims recovering from the trauma of that night and the broader efforts to ensure accountability for violent crime in the UK.