Man, 25, dies after car hits pedestrians on Christmas Day in London's West End

2 January 2025, 15:00 | Updated: 2 January 2025, 15:42

A 25-year-old man injured on Shaftesbury Avenue after car hit a group of pedestrians on Christmas Day has died, police say.

The man has been named as 25-year-old Aidan Chapman, who died from his injuries in hospital on New Year’s Eve, the force said in a statement on Thursday.

Officers were called to London's West End at 12.45am on Wednesday after reports of a collision and a car driving on the wrong side of the road on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Emergency services arrived to find four people injured at the scene - one seriously, with the victims treated in hospital.

Anthony Gilheaney, 30, has been charged with causing serious injury by driving whilst disqualified, driving a motor vehicle dangerously and possession of a bladed article in a public place in connection with the incident.

Following Mr Chapman's death, the Met said the court would now review the charges against Gilheaney.

Police say Mr Chapman's family are now being supported by specialist officers, with a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

Paying tribute to their "beautiful" son, Aiden's parents said the incident was "a parent's worst nightmare".

“The loss of our beautiful son is a parent’s worst nightmare, we are utterly devastated with the loss of Aidan, he enriched everyone’s lives," they said in a statement.

"He was a loving, kind, funny soul and the world is a darker place without him. We, his parents, have lost the best part of ourselves.”

The Met’s Specialist Crime Command is now leading the investigation and Aidan's death, with police treating the case as a homicide.

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Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Our thoughts are with the victim’s friends and family at this difficult time.

"My team are continuing to conduct enquiries to establish all the facts surrounding the circumstances, however it has been confirmed as an isolated incident which is not terror-related.

“We would appeal to anyone who holds any CCTV or dash cam or mobile phone footage of the incident to come forward as well as anyone else who might have had contact with the suspect that evening.”

Gilheaney appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey next year, the Metropolitan Police said.