Man saved by friend in Christmas Day 'carnage'

A man who was knocked down and attacked by a drunk driver on Christmas Day has told a court he "would have been killed" if his friend had not intervened.

Anthony Gilheaney, 30, is accused of creating a "trail of carnage" in London's West End in the early hours of 25 December 2024, in which a 25-year-old man was killed and four others were injured.

Arif Khan, one of the victims, said Mr Gilheaney attacked him, called him a racial slur, and reversed his car into him.

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

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Mr Khan said: "He tried to crash into me. I was out cold.

"I'm lucky my friend was there to save my life – otherwise he would have killed me, and I wouldn't be here today."

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Mr Khan standing behind a Mercedes before it reversed and knocked him to the ground.

His friend, Benjamin Asante, can be seen pulling him back onto the pavement.

Mr Gilheaney then allegedly got out of the car and chased Mr Khan, striking him with an object that left a scalp wound 5cm long and 3mm deep.

Mr Khan said: "I fell over because my head was still a bit… I was not all there.

"After that he was trying to attack me and he was trying to get to me, but my friend was there to stop him from getting to me.

"I remember he hit me with something, I fell over.

"The rest is pretty much a blur for me."

Jurors were previously told how police recovered the handle and removable shaft of a screwdriver at the scene, with DNA that matched the defendant's.

Mr Khan, who gave evidence from behind a screen appeared to become angry when Mr Gilheaney's lawyer suggested the pair knew each other because Mr Gilheaney owed him drug money.

"I don't know the kid from anywhere – he's got nothing to do with me," Mr Khan replied.

Following the initial incident, Mr Gilheaney allegedly hit a gay couple, Miguel Waihrich and Marcelo Basbus-Garcia, who were walking hand-in-hand back from Midnight Mass on Great Windmill Street.

He then crashed into Aidan Chapman and his friend Tyrone Ithoro as they crossed Shaftesbury Avenue. Mr Chapman died on New Year's Eve from brain injuries.

The prosecution alleges the attacks on Mr Khan and were racist and homophobic.

The trial continues.

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