Gay couple 'targeted' in Christmas Day rampage

A gay couple on their way home from Midnight Mass were allegedly run over in a homophobic attack during a Christmas Day rampage which left one man dead, a jury has heard.

Anthony Gilheaney, 30, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of mowing down five pedestrians in London's West End in the early hours of 25 December 2024, killing 25-year-old Aidan Chapman and leaving four others seriously injured.

Prosecutors allege Mr Gilheaney attempted to murder Marcelo Basbus-Garcia and his partner Miguel Waihrich during a series of drink-fuelled attacks in which the pair were hit with the car twice.

Mr Gilheaney denies one count of murder, three of attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and wounding.

Mr Waihrich told jurors he made eye contact with Mr Gilheaney as the defendant drove at them a second time, while Mr Basbus-Garcia lay unconscious and "covered in blood".

"I remember it vividly – I remember his eyes and the position of his hands on the wheel, I remember his face and me crying for him to stop, and he didn't stop," Mr Waihrich said.

On the night of the attacks, the couple were making their way home to Bloomsbury after attending Midnight Mass in Piccadilly and entered Great Windmill Street.

They came across the defendant who was standing in the middle of the road while shirtless and shouting so waited until the defendant got back into his car and drove off.

Mr Waihrich then described the car reversing "at very high speed", causing panic among pedestrians.

As people scrambled for safety, the couple became separated and Mr Basbus-Garcia was hit and thrown to the ground.

"The car came after me – but it would be fair to say that he (Mr Gilheaney) was after everybody in that street," Mr Basbus-Garcia told jurors.

"The last thing I remember, actually, is being terrified."

Mr Basbus-Garcia suffered a head injury and a fractured collarbone, the court heard.

Mr Waihrich then ran to his partner and crouched by his side, finding him bleeding and unresponsive.

"He (Gilheaney) stopped and looked at me. He is coming in my direction, I try to make signs, gesture and say 'stop it, please'."

"The car doesn't stop and accelerated towards us, and I decided to protect Marcelo's head with my body as a shield," Mr Waihrich continued.

Mr Waihrich took the brunt of the second impact, suffering a fractured elbow and a knee injury.

He told the court he was "in shock" after the driver left the scene and called police.

"I was very unsure if he was alive or not," he said, becoming emotional as he recalled both him and his partner being taken to hospital.

Prosecutor Crispin Aylett KC told jurors the attack on the couple was homophobic.

Another witness, Ayyat Mahmood, said he and his family had gone out to see the festive lights when they encountered Mr Gilheaney.

"The car passed by us and just behind me there was another man who was running to save himself, but he hit him," he said.

This is thought to be a reference to Mr Basbus-Garcia.

Mr Gilheaney then allegedly reversed towards Mr Mahmood and his family, including his three-year-old niece in her pram.

"He was now trying to hit us," Mr Mahmood said.

"He came out of the window and tried to punch her head. He was so aggressive, didn't care about if she was a little baby."

Following this, Mr Gilheaney allegedly hit Mr Chapman and his friend Tyrone Itorho with his car as they crossed Shaftesbury Avenue.

Mr Chapman suffered catastrophic brain injuries and died in hospital on New Year's Eve.

The trial continues.

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