An alleged sword attacker was brought before the Old Bailey, charged with the murder of a teenage boy who was ambushed and slashed in the neck on his way to school.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 36, is also charged with assaulting four others, including two police officers, during a 20-minute outbreak of violence in Hainault, east London, last Tuesday.
The court learned that the assault began just before 7 am, following Monzo’s alleged collision with a fence in Laing Close, where he struck a bystander.
It was reported in court that he exited the van, threatened to kill the man, and then slashed his neck.
Soon after, he reportedly assaulted 14-year-old Daniel Anjourin from behind, fatally injuring him by cutting his neck.
A post-mortem examination determined the death was due to “sharp force trauma to the head.”
When an ambulance arrived, he supposedly barred the paramedics with the weapon from rendering aid until he was pursued by the police.
He later inflicted severe injuries on a female police officer, Pc Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield, while she was down.
After darting through gardens, he entered a home and reportedly assaulted a couple while they were sleeping, their young daughter also in the room.
The child’s father, Henry De Los Rios Polania, sustained neck and arm injuries and has been hailed as a “hero” for defending his family during the assault.
Following the home invasion, the police detained the suspect using Tasers, with an inspector sustaining an arterial bleed from being stabbed with the weapon.
The court noted that the victims were strangers to the assailant.
Subsequent to the events, floral arrangements, handwritten messages, and teddy bears have been placed at the site in remembrance of Daniel, who his family mourned as “amazing.”
The staff and students at Bancroft’s School, where Daniel was enrolled, expressed their “profound shock and sorrow” over his death.
In a statement by the Metropolitan Police on Saturday, his family expressed: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Daniel. It is tough for us to comprehend what has transpired and that he won’t return home. Daniel had just left for school, and then he was gone.
“Our children have lost a dear and cherished brother, and we have lost a most beloved and wonderful son.
“We extend our heartfelt wishes to the other victims of this unthinkable tragedy.”
Arsenal headed tributes to Daniel, a supporter of the club, before their Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday.
During the game, a minute of applause filled the Emirates Stadium in the 14th minute, with a banner stating “RIP Daniel” displayed in the audience.
Wearing a grey tracksuit, Monzo, a dual Spanish-Brazilian national from Newham, east London, confirmed his identity and birth date in the dock.
A three-week trial is tentatively scheduled for February 3, 2025.
