Driver Jailed for Life After Fatal Christmas Day Rampage in London

A man who killed one person and seriously injured four others during a drink-fuelled attack in London’s West End on Christmas Day 2024 has been jailed for life.

Anthony Gilheaney, 32, was sentenced at the Old Bailey and given a minimum term of 37 years after being convicted of murder and multiple serious offences.

Deadly Attack in the West End

The court heard that Gilheaney deliberately drove his high-powered Mercedes into pedestrians along Shaftesbury Avenue during the early hours of Christmas Day.

Among those struck was 25-year-old Aidan Chapman, who was thrown into the air and later died in hospital from catastrophic head injuries on New Year’s Eve.

Series of Targeted Incidents

Prosecutors said the attack followed an evening of drinking and fighting. After leaving a nightclub, Gilheaney racially abused and assaulted another man before being confronted by members of the public.

He then got back into his car and mounted pavements, driving at multiple victims, including a same-sex couple and a group of friends.

Police Pursuit and Arrest

Gilheaney fled the scene but was later arrested near Lincoln’s Inn Fields following a police pursuit. His vehicle was recorded travelling at speeds exceeding 90mph.

The court was told that Gilheaney had never held a driving licence and was not insured to drive the vehicle.

Victim Impact Statements

During sentencing, the court heard emotional statements from Aidan Chapman’s family. His father described the lasting grief caused by the loss of his only child.

Chapman was remembered as a kind and loving father whose young son had been left without a parent.

Sentencing and Court Reaction

Judge Maura McGowan said nothing could undo the harm caused by the attack but placed the loss of Aidan Chapman at the centre of the proceedings.

As he was led away, Gilheaney shouted that he had not intended to kill anyone, despite the jury rejecting his claims that he was not in control of the vehicle.