Alleged sword attacker ‘smiled' after slashing man in the neck, court hears

Independent

09-06-2025

An alleged sword attacker smiled after slashing a pedestrian in the neck during a 'brutal string of attacks' that left a 14-year-old boy dead, the Old Bailey has heard.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, is on trial accused of murdering schoolboy Daniel Anjorin and attempting to kill four others during a 20-minute rampage in Hainault, north-east London, on April 30 last year. He denies the charges.
On Monday, jurors were shown CCTV of the first alleged attack, which showed Monzo's grey Ford Transit mounting the pavement and hitting Donato Iwule, a Co-op security guard on his way to work.
Footage captured Mr Iwule screaming in agony as he was struck by the van before it collided with a house.
Monzo is then seen exiting the vehicle and walking after him while brandishing a sword.
Giving evidence, Mr Iwule said: 'I thought I was dying.'
He told the court he tried to escape into a nearby garden but was struck on his knee, face and shoulder and knocked to the ground.
He said Monzo got out of the van, pulled a sword from a cover 'right in front of my face' and threw the cover aside.
'I said 'I don't know you'… I said it multiple times,' Mr Iwule told prosecutor Tom Little KC.
'He said 'I don't care – I'm going to kill you'.'
Mr Iwule said he tried to defend himself and raised his arms but Monzo swung the sword, catching him on the neck.
'I saw blood coming out of my neck,' he said.
'I pressed my thumb to not bleed out… I shouted ' God is greatest' in Arabic – because I'm Muslim.
'When that happened, he was smiling like it was something that he was happy about.'
Mr Iwule said Monzo became distracted and he jumped over a fence to escape, later shouting at a schoolboy, believed to be Daniel, to go back inside.
Under cross-examination, Mr Iwule said he was standing upright when he was struck and could clearly hear Monzo say he was going to kill him.
Last week jurors heard how Monzo had skinned and deboned his own cat before carrying out the alleged attacks, and was under the influence of cannabis that may have led to drug-induced psychosis.
However, the prosecution says this does not amount to diminished responsibility.
Mitchell Hayes, a witness who was also on his way to work at the Co-op, said he saw the van 'going faster, slowing down, going faster' before the collision.
He said he later heard screaming, saw the driver walk around the van and then get back in and reverse away, appearing to hold what looked like a sword.
Mr Hayes said he stayed with Mr Iwule, who was holding his neck and bleeding, for 10 to 15 minutes before becoming aware of another incident nearby.
He said another colleague, Nathan Hutchinson, began shouting that the attacker had a sword and they saw a body on the other side of the road.
'He was running around with it like a maniac,' Mr Hayes said of the man he believed to be Monzo.
Monzo has admitted possessing two swords but denies murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article.
The trial continues.