A man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after allegedly driving into four pedestrians in the West End of London on Christmas Day.
Anthony Gilheaney, 30, was also charged with causing serious injury by driving whilst disqualified, driving a motor vehicle dangerously, and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
One victim remains in a critical condition and is receiving treatment in hospital.
Scotland Yard said Gilheaney was remanded into police custody and will appear at Westminster magistrates court on Friday.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said a suspect was arrested within minutes of the “violent attack in the early hours of Christmas Day in central London”.
He added: “Since then, investigators have worked tirelessly to build the case and have today charged Anthony Gilheaney with four counts of attempted murder. Our thoughts now are with the victims, one of which remains in critical condition in hospital.”
The Metropolitan police said officers were called at 00.45am on Wednesday after reports of a collision and a car driving on the wrong side of the road on Shaftesbury Avenue in the capital’s theatre district.
Cundy described it as an “isolated incident which is not terror-related”.
On Christmas Day blood and items of clothing including a jacket, shoes and a hat were strewn across the pavement in front of a branch of Caffè Concerto.
Forensic officers were seen bagging up shoes and other items of clothing from the pavement. A police cordon stretched between the Gielgud Theatre, where the musical Oliver is performed, and the Sondheim Theatre, home to Les Miserables.