A driver has pleaded guilty to killing a man with his car in London's West End during the early hours of Christmas Day last year. Anthony Gilheaney, 31, from Harlow, Essex, admitted the manslaughter of 25-year-old Aidan Chapman at the Old Bailey on Monday.
The Charges and the Pleas
Gilheaney is on trial facing eight serious charges which he denies, including the murder of Mr Chapman, attempted murder, and wounding with intent. However, he entered guilty pleas to a series of alternative counts added to the indictment. These include the unlawful wounding of Arif Khan, causing grievous bodily harm to Marcelo Basbus-Garcia and Miguel Waihrich, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Tyrone Itorho. He had previously admitted a charge of dangerous driving.
The prosecution has stated it does not accept the manslaughter plea, meaning the jury must still deliberate on the original murder charge. The court heard that Gilheaney is accused of launching a series of unprovoked attacks against five people, using his high-powered Mercedes to strike some of them.
The Night of the Collision
Giving evidence last week, Gilheaney claimed he lost control of the vehicle after being attacked by a group of men earlier that night and insisted he never intended to hurt anyone. The trial was told that a drunk Gilheaney had circled back to a club to collect his pregnant girlfriend when the fatal collision occurred.
He stated he swerved to avoid a moped and accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. Aidan Chapman was struck directly, suffering catastrophic brain injuries. He later died in hospital on New Year's Eve.
Under questioning from his defence barrister, James Scobie KC, Gilheaney accepted full responsibility for Mr Chapman's death, calling his driving "dangerous and reckless." He described his own actions as cowardly, saying: "I'm a coward for driving and leaving a poor young man to die. I panicked and had to get away."
Allegations of Hate-Motivated Attacks
The prosecution alleges that Gilheaney's actions were deliberate and targeted. It is claimed he knocked over Arif Khan with his car before getting out and physically assaulting him after using a racial slur. The court also heard that he deliberately drove at Mr Chapman's friend, Tyrone Itorho, and at the couple, Marcelo Basbus-Garcia and Miguel Waihrich, for what are alleged to be racist and homophobic reasons.
Aidan Chapman's family have described him as a "loving, kind, funny soul." The trial at the Old Bailey continues as the jury considers the charges Gilheaney denies.
