Former X Factor finalist denies murder and GBH

Former X Factor finalist denies murder and GBH

Image source, Instagram

Image caption, Gabrielle Carrington denies murder

ByLevi Jouavel

Reporting fromOld Bailey

Updated 18 minutes ago

A former X Factor finalist has denied murdering a social media influencer by running her over with a car in central London.

Gabrielle Carrington, 29, of Manchester, allegedly struck Klaudia Zakrzewska outside Inca nightclub in Argyll Street, Soho, at 04:30 BST on 19 April.

Appearing at the Old Bailey by video link from Bronzefield prison to deny the charge, the defendant was initially charged with attempted murder but that was changed to murder after Zakrzewska died from her injuries six days later.

Family members of the victims shook their heads as Carrington read out her pleas. Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC confirmed she would try the case at the same court from 5 January.

The defendant appeared emotional on the link and was wiping tears from her face throughout the hearing.

Image source, klaudiaglam

Image caption, Klaudia Zakrzewska had more than 270,000 followers on Instagram

Carrington allegedly arrived in Argyll Street in her car and appeared to have a row with a male as she got out of the vehicle. The altercation escalated as more people became involved, prompting security to intervene.

Carrington allegedly got back into the car and moved off, sharply mounting the pavement, striking Zakrzewska.

The vehicle went on to strike a security guard, Anoush Chyche, who was on the pavement, it is claimed.

As it reversed, Zakrzewska could be seen under the vehicle lying prone on the ground.

Zakrzewska died later in hospital and Chyche, in his 50s, suffered "life-changing injuries".

Image caption, The incident happened on a side street near Oxford Circus

The defendant, who has more than 365,000 followers on Instagram under the handle RIELLEUK, made it to the X Factor live finals in 2013 as one of the three members of Miss Dynamix.

She is described in court as a "social media influencer" who makes regular trips to the United Arab Emirates.

Zakrzewska, who was in her 30s, was a TikTok and Instagram influencer who went by the name Klaudiaglam.

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