Man, 36, appears in court after being charged with murder of boy, 14, in Hainault sword rampage
2 May 2024, 11:33 | Updated: 2 May 2024, 12:33
A 36-year-old man charged with the murder of a teenager during a sword rampage in Hainault has appeared in court.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 36, was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with the samurai sword murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in east London.
Wearing a grey sweatshirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, he spoke only to confirm his name in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Monzo was also charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary and being in possession of a bladed article.
He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday if a hearing is not available on Friday.
Along with Daniel, a further four people – including two police officers – were seriously injured in the fatal attack.
It is alleged that Monzo crashed a van into a fence in Laing Close just before 7am on Tuesday, hitting a member of the public.
He then got out of the van, saying he would kill the man and slashed him to the neck, the court was told.
Read more: Man charged with murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in Hainault sword attack
Prosecutor David Burns told the court that 15 minutes later it is alleged Monzo broke into a nearby home where a couple were asleep with their four-year-old daughter.
He went into the bedroom and attacked the child's father, shouting about believing in God and causing injuries to his neck and arm, it is alleged.
Monzo is accused of then running up behind Daniel, who was walking to school, and slashing his neck, before stabbing him in the chest as he lay on the ground.
It comes after it was revealed on Thursday morning that Daniel's mother cried out "that's my son" moments after he was stabbed.
Aiste Dabasinskaite, his next door neighbour, told how she and others had tried to shout warnings to him before he was attacked but he could not hear them because he had headphones in.
The attacker initially confronted Ms Dabasinskaite before turning on the teenager.
She said: "The man approached me first and I managed to run away when he drew the sword. We were shouting and waving towards Daniel as he came out. He had his headphones in so he wouldn't hear us. It just happened right before our eyes, it was horrible."
She went on to say: "It's horrible isn't it, poor boy, I feel really bad for his family.
"As my next door neighbour we used to say hello and wave at each other in the mornings when he left for school."
On the outpouring of support from the local community, she said: "It's lovely, it's really nice, we've had people coming from all over, coming and putting flowers down.
"They're really supportive, we've got a great community here, we never expected something like this to happen."
Paying tribute on Wednesday, Daniel's family said he was "a wonderful child" who was "well loved" and "hard working" - and that his death "leaves a gaping wound in the family".
"No family should have to go through what we are experiencing today," they told Sky News. "Any family will understand it's an absolute tragedy."