Gabrielle Carrington denies murder of Klaudia Zakrzewska in Soho
Former X Factor finalist pleads not guilty to killing influencer outside Inca nightclub in April
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Gabrielle Carrington, a former X Factor finalist, pleaded not guilty to murder at the Old Bailey on Monday. She appeared by video link from Bronzefield prison, where she has been held since her arrest. Carrington, 29, is accused of killing Klaudia Zakrzewska, a social media influencer, after striking her with a car on Argyll Street in Soho.
The incident occurred at 4:30 am on 19 April outside the Inca nightclub. Zakrzewska, who was in her 30s, died from her injuries on 25 April. A security guard, Anoush Chyche, suffered life-changing injuries in the same incident. Carrington also faces a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Chyche.
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Court appearance and charges
Carrington appeared without legal representation during the plea hearing. Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC asked if she was content to proceed without a lawyer. Carrington replied that she did not wish to represent herself long-term but was prepared to enter a plea that day.
She told the court, "This is my life. This is the toughest decision I have to make." Carrington pleaded not guilty to murder and the charge of causing grievous bodily harm. She was not asked to enter a plea to a third charge of driving with excess alcohol, for which her recorded breath alcohol level was 61 micrograms per 100 millilitres.
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Judge Whitehouse set the trial date for 5 January 2025 and scheduled a pre-trial hearing for 11 August. Carrington will remain in custody until then. The court heard that Carrington had arrived at Argyll Street in her car and became involved in an altercation before the incident.
Details of the incident
Footage circulating online shows a woman entering a black car before it surged forward, striking Zakrzewska. The vehicle then reversed, leaving Zakrzewska trapped underneath. Paramedics and police arrived at 5 am to find a chaotic scene, with many people who had left the nearby nightclub.
Prosecutor Crispin Aylett KC told the court that Carrington had argued with a man before getting back into her car. The vehicle mounted the pavement, hitting Zakrzewska and Chyche. Zakrzewska was pronounced dead later that day at a hospital. Chyche, described as being in his 50s, sustained serious injuries.
Argyll Street, where the incident took place, is a well-known location in Soho, home to the London Palladium theatre. Carrington, who has over 365,000 Instagram followers under the handle RIELLEUK, competed in the X Factor live finals in 2013 as part of the group Miss Dynamix. Zakrzewska was also a social media influencer, known online as Klaudiaglam.
What happens next
Carrington will appear at the Old Bailey for a pre-trial hearing on 11 August. Another hearing is scheduled for 9 October. The trial is expected to begin on 5 January 2025. Carrington remains in custody at Bronzefield prison until the trial.
Questions this report answers
+What is Gabrielle Carrington charged with?
Gabrielle Carrington is charged with murder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a security guard, and driving with excess alcohol. She pleaded not guilty to the first two charges at the Old Bailey on 15 July. The trial is set for 5 January 2025.
+When did the incident in Soho happen?
The incident occurred at 4:30 am on 19 April outside the Inca nightclub on Argyll Street, Soho. Klaudia Zakrzewska died from her injuries on 25 April. A security guard was also seriously injured during the incident.
+What happens next in the case?
The next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 11 August at the Old Bailey, with another hearing on 9 October. Gabrielle Carrington’s trial is set to begin on 5 January 2025. She remains in custody at Bronzefield prison until then.
+What was Gabrielle Carrington’s alcohol level at the time?
Carrington’s breath alcohol level was recorded at 61 micrograms per 100 millilitres after the incident. She faces a charge of driving with excess alcohol, though she was not asked to enter a plea to this charge during the hearing.
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