Aidan Chapman: Murdered on Christmas Day
Last Night OutIn the early hours of Christmas Day 2024, Aidan Chapman was walking along Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End with a friend. Within minutes, he had been deliberately driven into by a man on a drunken rampage — and would not survive his injuries.
He was hit with such force that he suffered a devastating brain injury that ended his life. The man behind the wheel was Anthony Gilheaney.
The case is featured in the second series of the C+I series, Last Night Out, available to watch from Tuesday 15th September. Crime+Investigation examines the events of that night, the investigation that followed, and what the trial revealed about Gilheaney's motives.
Who was Aidan Chapman?
At the time of his death, Aidan was a regular 25-year-old man from London. He was out celebrating the holiday season in the West End in the early morning of 25th December 2024. Aidan’s parents described him as ‘a loving, kind, funny soul’. In their statement, they went on to say;
‘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…the world is a darker place without him. We, his parents, have lost the best part of ourselves.’
The murder of Aidan Chapman
Aidan was walking on Shaftesbury Avenue with his friend at around 12:45 am on Christmas Day. Aidan was suddenly hit by a Mercedes that mounted the kerb. The car deliberately steered into him and his friend.
Aidan was critically injured. He was bleeding from his ears and head while coming in and out of consciousness. At the hospital, Aidan was found to have fractures in his face, right thigh, and skull. The injuries to his brain were catastrophic, as he had been hit head-on in the collision. Despite medical professionals doing their best to save him, he succumbed to his injuries in hospital one week later on 31st December 2024.
Anthony Gilheaney and the police investigation
Anthony Gilheaney was 30 years old when he decided to purposely drive his car into innocent pedestrians. The prosecution team was able to build a substantial case against Gilheaney. They proved that he used his car as a weapon by utilising forensic vehicle analysis, CCTV and witness testimonies. This helped paint a picture of the series of events leading to Aidan’s murder.
Gilheaney was seen leaving a nightclub in a drunken rage after midnight on Christmas Day 2024. He had consumed as many as six cans of a vodka cocktail before he even showed up. Gilheaney also claimed a friend had spiked his vape with cannabis which made him angry.
Gilheaney had a history of drunk driving despite never having a driving licence. False number plates were used to avoid parking tickets and other issues when he was driving. He also had an extensive criminal record, which began when he was 14.
The events before the attack
After leaving the club, Gilheaney began arguing with random people and attacked a Sikh man named Hardeep Singh. He then hurled racist abuse at another man named Arif Khan while in his car.
When Arif tried to confront him, Gilheaney knocked him to the ground with his vehicle before getting out and physically attacking him. A group of men, including Hardeep, tried to stop Gilheaney at this point, but he returned to his car. This was when he started to drive towards people on the pavement.
The attack on Shaftesbury Avenue
Gilheaney initially drove at two men: Miguel Waihrich and his partner, Marcelo Basbus–Garcia. The two were holding hands after a midnight mass service. Pedestrians began to panic and run as Gilheaney reversed into Marcelo at high speed and knocked him unconscious. Marcelo suffered from a fractured collarbone, hearing loss, among other injuries.
Gilheaney then drove into them both again when Miguel was trying to tend to Marcelo. Miguel took the brunt of the second hit, shielding Marcelo from more injuries. He received a knee injury and an elbow fracture. Thankfully, both survived.
After this, Gilheaney almost hit a couple who had a child with them in a pushchair before he crossed the street and hit Aidan and his friend.
The trial and sentencing
In December 2025, Gilheaney was convicted of murder, two counts of attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and wounding with intent at the Old Bailey. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years before parole can be considered. He was also disqualified from driving for life. The prosecution was successful in making the case that Gilheaney targeted some victims because of their sexuality and race, which was reflected in his sentencing.
Aidan Chapman is remembered by his family and friends as a loving, kind and funny soul – exactly as his parents described him.
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