Drefach drink driver banned for 20 months
The court heard that the 56-year-old was stopped by police while he was driving a Ford Transit van on the A475 near Llanybydder on 24 May this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cambrian News
a day ago
- Cambrian News
Drefach drink driver banned for 20 months
The court heard that the 56-year-old was stopped by police while he was driving a Ford Transit van on the A475 near Llanybydder on 24 May this year.
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Alleged samurai swordsman cooked his cat before 'killing 14-year-old schoolboy'
An alleged swordsman tried to cook and eat his cat before killing a schoolboy during a rampage in London. Marcus Arduini Monzo is accused of murdering a 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin and mowing down a pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van. He is further accused of attacking two police officers as well as a couple in their home on April 30 last year, under the influence of cannabis. Monzo, 37, admitted to skinning and deboning his pet cat Wizard before he allegedly launched a spree of violence in Hainault. He told jurors at the Old Bailey that in the days before the attacks, he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces' and he took it to a park to get rid of it. After the cat returned to his Newham flat in the morning, he strangled it despite claiming he did not want to. He said: 'After I strangled him he [the communication] was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back, I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant said he didn't have time to eat the animal, so he put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening, I didn't know exactly what, I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then drove towards his parents' house. He used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before the victim escaped, jurors heard. Asked why he changed direction, the defendant said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day, why just a block away from my parents' house? A block later, I would have arrived at their house.' Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, was virtually decapitated. PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword with a 60cm blade, prosecutors said. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. He also struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. However, the defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo said he was smoking cannabis 'three or four times a week' before the attack, but denied doing so on the day. Jurors heard that he told an expert that cannabis was a 'major contributor' to the rampage, but he played down its effects on Friday. He told jurors he did not think it 'guided' the killing. He said the swords were bought for 'display' purposes. Monzo had earlier spoken of taking psychedelics and drinking his urine years before amid an interest in spirituality. Around 2017, he began following YouTube spiritual guru Sadhguru, which led to a year-long stay in India, jurors heard. Monzo said he was taught at a retreat to detach from family and friends. During a weekend trip, he took ayahuasca — a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America. He returned to the UK 'looking skinnier' before travelling to a remote part of Brazil to consume more ayahuasca, the court heard. Monzo also said he took the powerful psychedelic ayahuasca twice in the UK, describing it as having stronger effects during 'ceremonies'. He later travelled again to Brazil and India, and also attended breatharian festivals in Italy and Denmark, which promote living without food. On his return to the UK, Monzo said he argued with family members because he was 'not very clean' and began drinking his urine for 'cleaning' purposes. He added: 'I would use it to shower, on the hair, even using it on the nose.' After the attack, he likened events to the Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a 'professional assassin'. Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Mr Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits to having two swords. The trial continues. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: GCHQ intern who risked exposing staff by taking top secret data home is jailed MORE: Two men jailed for six years combined over Blenheim Palace £4,750,000 gold toilet theft MORE: Ways to treat your dad for Father's Day 2025 including 'world-class' steak
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Alleged sword killer ‘tried to eat own cat'
An alleged sword attacker has told a court how he tried to cook and eat his cat before killing a schoolboy. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before allegedly launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while under the influence of cannabis, prosecutors say. He is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple - Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania - in their home on April 30 last year. Giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Friday, Monzo wept as he said he did not intend to harm anybody when asked about why he bought swords. He told jurors that in the days before the alleged attacks he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces'. He said he took the animal to a park to get rid of it, but it had returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the alleged rampage, and that he then strangled it despite not wanting to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back, I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors: 'I didn't have time to eat the cat.' He then put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening. I didn't know exactly what. I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. Prosecutors say he allegedly used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before his victim managed to escape. Asked why he changed direction, Monzo said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day. Why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' Prosecutors allege he then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield allegedly chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. It is also claimed he struck Insp Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. The defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was Tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Insp Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
