In a case that has gripped London and sent shockwaves through the city’s diverse communities, Anthony Gilheaney, 31, was found guilty of murder and a string of violent crimes after a chaotic, hate-fuelled rampage through the West End on Christmas Day 2024. The verdict, delivered at the Old Bailey on December 19, 2025, brings a measure of closure to the families and victims left devastated by a night of senseless violence that claimed the life of 25-year-old Aidan Chapman and left several others injured.
According to Sky News and corroborated by BBC News and Daily Mail, the events unfolded in the early hours of December 25, when Gilheaney, heavily intoxicated after drinking with friends at Bar Rumba on Shaftesbury Avenue, began a spree of unprovoked assaults. The prosecution described a sequence of attacks that were both racist and homophobic in nature, targeting strangers for their ethnicity and sexual orientation, and culminating in the fatal collision that killed Chapman.
Gilheaney’s violent outburst began as he left the nightclub. He started an argument with a stranger, punched another man, and then, in a shocking display of prejudice, attacked Hardeep Singh, a Sikh man, as he walked along Shaftesbury Avenue. The violence escalated when Gilheaney hurled racial slurs at Arif Khan, referring to him with a derogatory term, before running him down with his powerful Mercedes. Not content with that, Gilheaney exited his vehicle and physically assaulted Khan, kicking him as he lay on the ground. The attack was only interrupted when Singh returned with friends, who intervened and beat Gilheaney in an attempt to stop the assault, as reported by BBC News.
Dashcam footage from an Uber driver captured the chaos as Gilheaney, undeterred, got back into his Mercedes—uninsured and bearing false plates—and rammed the Uber vehicle in a fit of rage. He then drove erratically along Great Windmill Street, repeatedly mounting the pavement and sending pedestrians scrambling for safety. Among those targeted were Marcelo Basbus-Garcia and his partner, Miguel Waihrich, who were walking hand in hand after midnight mass. Both were struck and required hospital treatment. Gilheaney narrowly missed a couple with a child in a pushchair before veering across the street and hitting Chapman and his friend Tyrone Itorho.
The court saw harrowing video of Chapman being thrown into the air by the impact. He suffered catastrophic brain injuries and, despite the efforts of medical staff, died in hospital on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2024. The loss has left an indelible mark on his family, who described the pain and anguish caused by Gilheaney’s “evil actions.” In a statement shared after the conviction, Chapman’s family said, “No parent should have to go through the hellish trauma of losing a child, words cannot describe the pain and anguish Anthony Gilheaney has caused us by his evil actions. He took our only son from us. Something we will never get over. Something we will never forgive.”
Police quickly responded to reports of Gilheaney’s erratic driving. Officers gave chase as he sped through central London, eventually abandoning his moving car in Holborn and fleeing on foot. He was later found passed out in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. At the scene, Gilheaney appeared tearful and apologetic, telling an officer, “I am sorry for everything I have ever done. I will admit to everything. I am guilty. I am sorry.” However, during formal interviews, he claimed to have no memory of the events and denied intent, asserting that he was not in control of the vehicle after being attacked earlier that night.
Throughout the trial, Gilheaney’s defense insisted he had not intended to harm anyone and was acting in a state of confusion, exacerbated by alcohol and, he claimed, a spiked vape. He admitted to drinking up to six cans of a vodka cocktail and said he was “powerless, confused and in a state.” Despite his claims, the prosecution, led by Crispin Aylett KC, maintained that the attacks were deliberate and motivated by prejudice, noting the pattern of targeting both Asian men and a gay couple.
The jury was unmoved by Gilheaney’s assertions. He was convicted of murdering Chapman, attempting to murder Basbus-Garcia and Itorho, and wounding Khan with intent. He was cleared of attempting to murder Waihrich but found guilty of causing him grievous bodily harm with intent. The verdicts reflect the gravity of the offenses and the impact on the victims and their families.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, praised the jury’s discernment, stating, “Throughout the investigation, he has refused to acknowledge the seriousness of his offences, making every attempt to portray himself as a troubled victim. I commend the jury for seeing through this act.” The trial also revealed that special security measures were necessary at the Old Bailey due to Gilheaney’s violent tendencies, with court doors locked and the defendant flanked by custody officers even while in the dock.
Gilheaney’s history of reckless behavior behind the wheel was laid bare during the proceedings. He had never held a driving license but admitted to enjoying powerful cars, using false plates to avoid detection for parking tickets and other infractions. His motoring history, by his own admission, was “shocking.” He had previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, and possessing a bladed article in a public place, but denied the more serious charges of murder, attempted murder, and wounding with intent until the jury’s verdict.
The aftermath of the rampage has been profound for London’s West End, a district known for its vibrancy and diversity. The attacks, motivated by hate and carried out with chilling disregard for human life, have prompted renewed calls for vigilance against hate crimes and for greater protections for vulnerable communities.
Gilheaney is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2026. For the families of the victims, especially the Chapmans, no sentence can truly compensate for their loss. As they expressed in their statement, “No amount of justice or prison time will ever be enough to compensate for our loss. Gilheaney has taken the best part of us. He has left us with a dark void in our lives that can never be filled.”
The city now awaits the final chapter in this tragic case, hoping that justice, though imperfect, will bring some measure of peace to those whose lives were forever altered by one night of violence.
