The process of appointing a jury continues in the case against Nathaniel Veltman, a 22-year-old defendant charged with the brutal murder of four members of the Afzaal family. He also faces an additional count of attempted murder in the same incident. The events transpired at Hyde Park Road, western London, on the evening of June 6, 2021, as the Afzaal family took their regular stroll. This was when they were run down by a pickup truck in what law enforcement believes to be an attack fuelled by hate.
In his plea, Veltman maintained a stance of innocence, repudiating all charges filed against him. The incident resulted in the loss of four lives from the Afzaal family, leaving behind a single survivor – a young boy who incurred injuries during the assault.
As proceedings go underway, the trial has been shifted to Windsor, with the jury selection process commencing Tuesday. By 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the court had effectively selected 14 jurors, along with two substitutes. These individuals are instructed to make their return on Monday at 10 a.m. for the initiation of the trial. Meanwhile, the rest of the jury pool from Tuesday has also been scheduled for their return on Monday.
A court-imposed ban on publication effectively limits the media from discussing any queries posed to each panel member during the jury selection. On Tuesday, Justice Renee Pomerance addressed the candidates for the jury, stating that the case in question deals with allegations involving “extremist right-wing views.”
