A man who was one of four pedestrians struck by a car in London’s West End over the Christmas period has died from his injuries. Aidan Chapman, 25, passed away on New Year’s Eve, according to Metropolitan Police. The hit-and-run incident, which took place at 00:45 GMT on 25 December, saw the vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road, hitting pedestrians in Shaftesbury Avenue in Soho. Anthony Gilheaney, 30, from Harlow in Essex, has been charged with four counts of attempted murder in connection with the incident as well as a raft of additional charges.
Gilheaney appeared before Westminster magistrates on Friday, where he was remanded in custody until his next appearance at London’s Old Bailey court on 24 January. As things stand, the prosecution’s case includes the fact that he was driving a Mercedes Benz E-Class at the time of the incident. In addition, he was found in possession of a knife in a public place.
Since Aidan Chapman’s death, the charges against Gilheaney are under review according to the Met. While the Specialist Crime Command unit is now leading the investigation, they have also confirmed that the incident is not considered terror-related. A spokesperson for the unit made an appeal for anyone with information about the incident or who may have captured CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage to come forward.
Aidan Chapman’s parents released a statement in which they spoke of their “utter devastation” at the loss of their son. “He was a loving, kind, funny soul and the world is a darker place without him. We, his parents, have lost the best part of ourselves,” they said. The Chapman family is being supported by specialist police officers. A post-mortem examination will take place at a later date
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