Killer driver says he was like a 'bat out of hell'

A motorist accused of a Christmas Day rampage in London's West End which left one man dead and others injured has admitted he was driving like a "bat out of hell", but said he did not intend to hurt anyone.

Anthony Gilheaney, 30, from Harlow in Essex, told the Old Bailey he was not in control of the high-powered Mercedes after he had been attacked by a group of Sikh men earlier that night.

He is accused of using the car to mow down five pedestrians in the early hours of 25 December 2024, killing 25-year-old Aidan Chapman and leaving four others seriously injured.

Mr Gilheaney, who denies murder, said he "definitely" should not have been driving as he felt "powerless, confused and in a state".

Mr Gilheaney told the jury his driving was "dangerous and reckless" and he was "going down the wrong way of a one-way street and the car was a super car, a sports car. It was like a bat out of hell".

He was also drunk and "dazed", he said, as a friend had earlier given him a cannabis-spiked vape, and he was also on medication.

The prosecution alleges Mr Gilheaney tried to murder Marcelo Basbus-Garcia and his partner Miguel Waihrich.

Mr Gilheaney said he now "100% accepts" he must have hit them, but did not realise this at the time. He denied he was homophobic or had been targeting the couple.

Earlier, the jury watched footage of Mr Gilheaney being beaten by a group of men after he had punched a man in the face, made racial slurs and hit out with a screwdriver handle.

He said the attack had affected his driving skills and there was "confusion" over the gears. He added: "I did not know what I was doing."

Shirtless from the fight and with blood around his neck, Mr Gilheaney is later seen on CCTV footage kicking at a passing car, and said he was "struggling" to stay on his feet, and was "very wobbly".

He said when he was back in the car, he "lost strength and energy in my body to hold myself up".

As well as denying murder, Mr Giheaney denies one count of wounding with intent, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Jurors have been told he has already pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

The trial continues.

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