Social Media Influencer Charged with Attempted Murder After Vehicle Collision Outside London Nightclub
Introduction
A 29-year-old social media influencer, Gabrielle Carrington, has been charged with attempted murder following a vehicle collision outside a nightclub in central London that left another influencer, Klaudia Zakrzewska, in a coma with critical injuries. The incident also injured two other pedestrians.
Main Body
The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, outside the Inca nightclub on Argyll Street in Soho, Westminster. According to prosecutor Rizwan Amin, Carrington arrived in her vehicle and became involved in an altercation with a male after exiting the car. Security staff attempted to intervene, after which Carrington re-entered the vehicle. The vehicle then moved off, sharply mounted the pavement, and struck Klaudia Zakrzewska, who was positioned near the front side of the car. Zakrzewska was dragged forward and dropped between the vehicle and a metal bike rack, then fully taken underneath as the car continued moving. The vehicle also struck a security staff member, Anoush Chyche, who was on the pavement. Carrington then reversed the car as Zakrzewska emerged from under the vehicle lying prone on the ground. Zakrzewska, a 30-year-old Polish-born model and social media influencer known as Klaudiaglam, with over 250,000 followers on Instagram and a presence on TikTok, remains in a coma in critical condition. A man in his 50s, who was unlocking an e-scooter at the time, sustained life-changing injuries and was hospitalized. A third woman, aged in her 30s, was treated for minor injuries. The Metropolitan Police stated that the incident is not being treated as terror-related. Gabrielle Carrington, known online as RIELLEUK and with approximately 362,000 Instagram followers, was a former finalist on The X Factor in 2013 as part of the girl group Miss Dynamix. She appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, April 21, where she made a heart sign with her hands toward friends and family. She has been charged with attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dangerous driving, and drink driving. The judge ordered her to be held in custody until the next hearing at the Old Bailey on May 19. Zakrzewska's mother posted on a GoFundMe page established to cover legal fees and medical costs, stating that her daughter is in a coma and fighting for her life. She reported that doctors have expressed a belief that Zakrzewska will not survive due to the severity of her injuries, though she added that she believes her daughter still has a chance. In a subsequent social media post, she requested prayers for her daughter's recovery. Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell of Specialist Crime South appealed for witnesses, noting that venues in the area were still open at the time and that any information, however minor, could be crucial to the investigation.
Conclusion
Klaudia Zakrzewska remains in a coma with a critical prognosis, while Gabrielle Carrington is in custody awaiting further court proceedings. The investigation continues, with police seeking additional witness accounts.