Haybe Cabdiraxmaan Nur has pleaded guilty to the murder of Gurvinder Singh Johal, who was stabbed inside a Lloyds Bank branch in Derby. The 47-year-old appeared at Derby Crown Court on Thursday where he entered his plea before Judge Shaun Smith KC.
Mr Johal, 37, known to friends as Danny, was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services were called to the bank on St Peter’s Street at around 2.35pm on May 6. Sentencing has been set for October 29.
Detective Inspector Tony Owen, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “I am pleased that Mr Johal’s family will not have to sit through a trial now that Nur has admitted this offence. I’d like to thank them for their support throughout and my thoughts, and those of all the team, remain with them.”
Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: “This was a truly shocking crime, committed in broad daylight in a busy city centre bank. While the whole community has been affected, our thoughts and profound sympathies are with Mr Johal’s family, friends and loved ones.”
In a tribute, Ajit Atwal, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Derby City Council, described Mr Johal as a “good businessman” who was “humble, quiet and a kind guy”. He added: “His family are devastated and cannot understand what has happened.”
