X Factor Star Gabrielle Carrington Faces Attempted Murder Charge After Nightclub Incident
A former X Factor finalist turned social media influencer has been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of attempting to murder a fellow content creator following a dispute outside a London nightclub.
Serious Charges Following Soho Collision
Gabrielle Carrington, 29, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday facing multiple serious charges including attempted murder, grievous bodily harm with intent, actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and drink driving. The charges stem from an incident that occurred outside the Inca show restaurant and bar in London's Soho district at approximately 4.30am on Sunday.
Prosecutor Rizwan Amin told the court that Carrington's Mercedes was involved in a collision with three pedestrians, including fellow influencer Klaudia Zakrzewska, known on Instagram as 'Klaudiaglam'. Police were called to Argyll Street following reports of a female being run over, with scenes described as chaotic with multiple people shouting.
Victims' Conditions and Specific Charges
The court heard that Ms Zakrzewska, aged in her 30s, remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries. Security worker Anoush Chyche, aged in his 50s, suffered what were described as "life-changing injuries", while a third woman, Latisha Armstrong, aged in her 30s, was treated for minor wrist injuries.
The attempted murder charge relates specifically to the alleged attack on Ms Zakrzewska, while the GBH charge concerns injuries to Mr Chyche and the ABH charge relates to Ms Armstrong's injuries. Carrington was found to have 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 milligrammes at the time of her arrest, placing her above the legal drink drive limit.
CCTV Evidence Presented in Court
Prosecutor Rizwan Amin detailed CCTV evidence showing Carrington arriving in Argyll Street in her car near the Inca nightclub. The footage allegedly shows her having an altercation with a male as she exited her vehicle, which escalated to involve several other members of the public and security staff who tried to intervene.
"Ms Carrington was then seen to re-enter the vehicle on CCTV, which shows her immediately moving off and sharply mounting the pavement," Mr Amin told the court. "During this manoeuvre the vehicle had struck Ms Klaudia Zakrzewska who was positioned in the front side of the vehicle and was dragged forward."
The prosecutor continued: "The vehicle continued moving forward. It took her fully underneath the vehicle and at the same time struck a security member of staff, Anoush Chyche, who was on the pavement. At this point the vehicle had travelled further and then Ms Carrington reversed a short distance again, causing it to roll over Ms Zakrzewska's body."
Court Appearance and Custody Decision
Carrington appeared in the dock of court one at Westminster Magistrates Court wearing a green tracksuit, flanked by a single female security guard. She spoke only to give her name, date of birth and address, and was not asked to enter a plea.
More than a dozen family members and friends of both Carrington and Ms Zakrzewska watched proceedings from a packed public gallery. As she stood with her hands on her hips, District Judge Nina Tempia remanded Carrington in custody, citing "substantial grounds" to believe she would fail to attend court if released and could interfere with witnesses given the ongoing dispute between the parties.
Prosecution Concerns About Flight Risk
Mr Amin argued for Carrington to be remanded in custody, stating that if convicted she faces "a serious immediate custodial sentence". He raised specific concerns about the defendant potentially absconding abroad, noting: "Ms Carrington is a known social media influencer and frequently visits the UAE. Given the seriousness of the charges there is a risk she will not attend court hearings [if released]."
The prosecutor added there were fears Carrington could "cause an obstruction to justice and interfere with witnesses using her social media presence" if granted bail. Carrington has built a significant online following since her X Factor appearance, gaining more than 360,000 followers on Instagram under the handle "rielleuk".
Background and Police Appeal
Carrington, originally from Manchester, made it to the live finals of The X Factor in 2013 at age 16 as part of girl group "Miss Dynamix". She has since transitioned to becoming a prominent social media influencer.
Before leaving the courtroom, Carrington used her hands to make a love heart sign to family and friends in the public gallery, including her mother. She is scheduled to next appear at the Old Bailey on May 19 for a plea hearing.
Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell of Specialist Crime South said: "As our enquiries continue, our thoughts are with those injured and their loved ones. While this incident took place in the early hours of the morning, venues in the area were still open, and we believe a number of people will have seen what happened."
The Metropolitan Police have urged witnesses to come forward and have specifically asked the public to refrain from sharing graphic footage of the incident circulating online, both out of respect for the victims and to avoid prejudicing criminal proceedings. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.
