Gabrielle Carrington, a former X Factor finalist, pleaded not guilty in London to a murder charge after influencer Klaudia Zakrzewska was fatally injured outside the Inca club in Soho on April 19. Carrington also denies aggravated assault with intent relating to a security guard who sustained life-changing injuries. She appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from Bronzefield Prison and was remanded in custody. A trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, with pre-trial hearings in August and October.
Former X Factor Finalist Denies Murder Following Soho Nightclub Incident; Trial Set For January
Gabrielle Carrington, a former finalist in the U.K. version of "X Factor," pleaded not guilty in court in London on Monday to charges she murdered a social media influencer and injured a security guard in an incident outside a nightclub in the capital's Soho nightlife district. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
A former UK X Factor finalist has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge after a woman was fatally injured outside a Soho nightclub in April.
What Happened
Prosecutors allege that Gabrielle Carrington, 29, of Manchester, ran over social media influencer Klaudia Zakrzewska with a car on the pavement outside the Inca club in Soho in the early hours of April 19. The incident followed an altercation that began with an unidentified man and escalated into a multi-person dispute.
Charges
Carrington denied the murder charge relating to Zakrzewska, who died in hospital on April 25. She also pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault with intent concerning security guard Anoush Chyche, who suffered life-changing injuries and is said to have been struck by the vehicle while attempting to intervene. Carrington was not asked to enter a plea to a separate allegation of driving under the influence.
Court Appearance and Next Steps
Appearing by video link at the Old Bailey from Bronzefield Prison in Surrey, Carrington was remanded in custody. A trial is scheduled to open at the Old Bailey on Jan. 5, with pre-trial hearings listed for Aug. 11 and Oct. 9 before Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC.
Legal Representation
Carrington represented herself at the hearing and told the judge she had agonized over whether to appoint legal counsel given the gravity of the decision and its potential impact on her life.
Background
Carrington is a former member of the girl group Miss Dynamix, which reached the live finals of The X Factor in 2013 and finished in 10th place. Both Carrington and Zakrzewska were active on social media; together they had more than 635,000 followers across platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
What Remains Unclear
The case remains at an early stage. Prosecutors upgraded the charge from attempted murder to murder after Zakrzewska died. Detailed evidence will be heard at the upcoming trial and pre-trial hearings.
Timeline
Incident: Early hours of April 19 outside Inca club, Soho.
Zakrzewska died: April 25 in hospital.
Pre-trial hearings: Aug. 11 and Oct. 9.
Trial start date: Jan. 5 (Old Bailey).
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