Brain damaged London Bridge terror victim sues attackers’ estates

Peter Lunt and his wife were mowed down by terrorists’ van as it ploughed through crowds above the Thames in 2017

The estates of the deceased London Bridge attackers - Khuram Butt, left, and Rachid Redouane, right, along with Youssef Zhagba - are being sued by Peter Lunt. AFP

A man who suffered severe brain damage three years ago during the London Bridge terrorist attack by an ISIS-inspired gang is to sue the estates of the dead terrorists

Peter Lunt is also taking the same legal action against the insurers of a vehicle rental company after one of its vans was used in the atrocity, in which the extremists killed eight people in 2017.

A claim was taken to the High Court in London by Mr Lunt, 44.

He suffered severe brain damage when the 2.5-tonne Renault van ploughed into crowds walking over London Bridge just before 10pm on the Saturday, June 3.

The van, driven by Khuram Butt, knocked one victim, Xavier Thomas, over the bridge railings and into the Thames, where he drowned.

Peter Lunt was hit by a van during the attack, leaving him with brain damage. Metropolitan Police via AP

After hitting Mr Lunt and his wife Tanya and other pedestrians, the three terrorists – Butt, 27, Youssef Zaghba, 22, and Rachid Redouane, 30 – jumped out and went on a knife rampage.

They stabbed people at random in the restaurants and bars around Borough Market, south London.

ISIS later claimed the attack, which happened three months after a similar vehicle-and-knife attack on Westminster Bridge in which a policeman was killed.

The terrorist gang at Borough Market injured another 48 people, including Mr and Mrs Lunt, and four unarmed police officers who tried to stop them.

The rampage, which lasted about 11 minutes, ended when the terrorists, who were wearing fake suicide vests, were shot dead by armed police.

Mr Lunt suffered brain damage and severe injuries down his left side, which required eight months of hospital treatment.

He has submitted a claim to the High Court suing the estates of the two ringleaders of the gang, Butt and Zaghba.

Mr Lunt, from Spalding in Lincolnshire, is also taking legal action against Probus, who were the insurers for the company that rented out the Renault van.

Commuters walk across London Bridge after it was partially re-opened following the terror attack. AFP

Other victims are taking similar action, The Mail on Sunday reported.

Probus is reported to have this year settled compensation claims with some of the victims and relatives of some of those killed.

Mr Lunt had gone to London with his wife Tanya, 46, for a weekend break. They were crossing London Bridge after watching a comedy show.

Mrs Lunt told the inquest in London after the atrocity that she heard people screaming then someone shouting: “Run, run, there’s a van.”

“I think Pete shouted at me, 'Run, we’ve got to run,' and we turned back to run in the direction of the Shard,” she said.

“I had a feeling it was a terrorist attack. I was pushed, hit and then everything went black.

"I couldn’t see anything, just feel cold metal. I looked for Peter and I could see him lying in the road.”

A spokesman for Thompson Solicitors, specialists in pursuing personal injury claims, would not comment when contacted by The National.