Gabrielle Carrington, 29, appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday and denied killing Klaudia Zakrzewska, who was struck by a car outside the Inca nightclub in Argyll Street, Soho. Carrington was initially charged with attempted murder, but the charge was changed to murder after Ms Zakrzewska died from her injuries on April 25.
Video footage circulating online showed a woman getting into a black car before it surged forward and hit Ms Zakrzewska, who went under the vehicle. Carrington, of Broadfield Road, Manchester, appeared by videolink from Bronzefield prison wearing a low-cut black outfit and her long black hair pulled back. She was not represented by a barrister and represented herself during the plea hearing.
Court appearance and plea
Asked if she was happy to proceed without a lawyer, she told Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC she did not want to represent herself "for the foreseeable". She added: "As I'm not represented, I am happy to give a plea today even though I am not represented."
Carrington pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to security guard Anoush Chyche. She was not asked to enter a plea to a third charge of driving with excess alcohol. On the question of who would ultimately represent her, she said: "This is my life. This is the toughest decision I have to make."
Judge Whitehouse confirmed the trial will be held at the Old Bailey from January 5, with pre-trial hearings on August 11 and October 9. The defendant interacted directly with the judge and prosecutor Crispin Aylett KC, making notes on a large pad of paper. She was remanded into custody but ordered to be brought to the Old Bailey for her next hearing.
Alleged incident
It is alleged that Carrington arrived in Argyll Street in her car and appeared to have a row with a male as she got out. 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 and striking Ms Zakrzewska. The vehicle then struck security staff member Mr Chyche, who was on the pavement.
As the car reversed, Ms Zakrzewska could be seen under the vehicle lying prone on the ground. At 5am, paramedics and police attended the scene and found people shouting, many of whom had left the nearby Inca nightclub. Ms Zakrzewska died later in hospital, while Mr Chyche, in his 50s, suffered "life-changing injuries".
Background
According to the court charges, Carrington had 61 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath when she tested after the incident. The defendant, who has more than 365,000 followers on Instagram under the handle RIELLEUK, reached 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.
Ms Zakrzewska, who was in her 30s, was a TikTok and Instagram influencer who went by the name Klaudiaglam. The incident took place on the Soho street that is home to the London Palladium theatre.
