Man arrested over Downing Street car crash charged with making indecent images

A 43-year-old man arrested after a car smashed into the gates of Downing Street has been separately charged with making indecent images of children.

Armed officers in Whitehall arrested the suspect at the scene of Thursday's crash, involving a silver Kia, and detained him on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving.

Earlier today the Metropolitan Police said he'd been released under investigation in relation to the collision, but now it has emerged he faces an unrelated charge.

"He was charged with an unrelated matter of making indecent images of children and will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, 27 May," the force said.

The Met said there were no reports of any injuries following Thursday's crash, which occurred around 4.20pm, and that the incident is not being treated as terror related.

Rishi Sunak was in Downing Street at the time the car crashed into the front gates, it is understood. The prime minister, who had been due to leave No 10 anyway, departed after the crash.

An eyewitness told ITV News that the car that collided with the gates had stopped and reversed into position opposite the gates before driving towards them.

“He was heading towards Parliament Square, slowly. He stopped, reversed up the kerb – I thought he was going to hit the lamppost,” they said. “There was a smash about 15 seconds later. He didn’t hit it [Downing Street gates] hard, he was probably going 15-20 mph as he’d only started across the road. He’d stopped, reversed then set off from 30 metres out." The eyewitness praised the police for doing "a good job" and not overreacting.

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