A former X Factor finalist has denied murdering a social media influencer by running her over with a car outside a Soho nightclub.
Gabrielle Carrington, 29, is accused of striking Klaudia Zakrzewska with a car outside the Inca nightclub in Argyll Street, Soho, at 4.30am on Sunday 19 April.
Footage of the incident circulating on social media showed a woman getting into a black car before it surged forward and hit Zakrzewska, who went under the vehicle.
Carrington, of Broadfield Road, Manchester, was initially charged with attempted murder but that was subsequently changed to murder after Zakrzewska died from her injuries on 25 April.
On Monday morning, Carrington appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from Bronzefield prison wearing a low-cut black outfit and her long black hair pulled back.
open image in galleryThe defendant was not represented in court by a barrister and represented herself during the plea hearing. 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”.
But 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 a second charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to security guard Anoush Chyche.
The defendant was not asked to enter a plea to a third charge of driving with excess alcohol.
On her decision on who would ultimately represent her at her trial, she said: “This is my life. This is the toughest decision I have to make.” Judge Whitehouse confirmed she would try the case at the Old Bailey from January 5, as she set a further pre-trial hearing for August 11 and October 9.
open image in galleryThe defendant interacted directly with the judge and prosecutor Crispin Aylett KC in court, and made notes on a large pad of paper.
Judge Whitehouse remanded her into custody but ordered the defendant be brought to the Old Bailey for her next hearing.
It is alleged that Carrington had arrived in Argyll Street in her car and had 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 member of staff, Mr Chyche, who was on the pavement, it is claimed.
As it reversed, Zakrzewska could be seen under the vehicle laying prone on the ground. At 5am, paramedics and police had attended the scene and found people shouting, many of whom had left the nearby Inca nightclub.
open image in galleryZakrzewska died later in hospital and Mr Chyche, in his 50s, suffered “life-changing injuries”. The incident happened on the Soho street which is home to the London Palladium theatre.
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, 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.