Latest news with #swordattack
Sky News
2 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Hainault murder accused had 'clear intention' to kill 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in sword attack, court told
The man accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin had a "clear intention to kill" during a series of drug-fuelled sword attacks, a jury has heard at the Old Bailey. Marcus Monzo denies murdering the teenager who was on his way to school after leaving his home in Hainault, east London, at 7am on 30 April last year. The 37-year-old Spanish-Brazilian national, from Newham, is accused of murder, four counts of attempted murder and one count of wounding with intent, among other offences. Mr Monzo is charged with a total of 10 offences, eight of which he denies. 'Near-decapitation' Prosecutor Tom Little KC, outlining the case against Monzo, said the accused had a "clear intention" to kill several people during a series of attacks which lasted 20 minutes. Mr Little told the jury that Daniel was "simply walking to school" when he was "slain" with a sword, which he described as 60cm in length, and as a "lethal weapon". This weapon, he said, was used to attack Daniel from behind, slashing his neck, before stabbing him in the chest once he was on the ground. Mr Monzo had "quickly moved like a predator", the prosecutor told the court. The initial blow, he said, was a "devastating" and "unsurvivable chopping injury" to the left side of Daniel's face, causing a "near-decapitation". First alleged victim Mr Little told the jury that before allegedly murdering Daniel that day, the defendant drove a grey van directly into a man called Donato Iwule, who was walking to the Co-op, where he worked. The vehicle struck with "such force" that it sent Iwule and the van into a garden, smashing a fence and a concrete post. The court was shown footage of Monzo getting out of the van and confronting Iwule, who shouted, "I don't know you" to the defendant. Following a brief chase, Mr Little said, the accused "swings" a sword towards Iwule's neck and then torso. However, Iwule escaped, and it was "remarkable" he was not killed or significantly injured, Little said. Police officers with 'significant injuries' The defendant is also accused of injuring police officers who came to Hainault to help Daniel. It's alleged he jumped out at PC Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield, causing "significant injuries". PC Mechem-Whitfield "bravely pursued" the accused, the prosecutor added, and was hit three times by the sword. 'Do you believe in God?' The jury also heard that Monzo broke into a family home - "not to hide", Mr Little said, but because he wanted to "kill more". Monzo entered a small bedroom where Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania were asleep with their four-year-old daughter, and allegedly asked them: "Do you believe in God?" "What happened there must have been horrifying and confusing," Mr Little told the court, as Monzo attempted to swing his sword at both Mr De Los Rios Polania and Ms Arias. Mr Little said that the defendant "must have intended to kill both", but was "stopped in his tracks" by the sound of a crying four-year-old who had been woken up by the commotion. He then left the property. A second officer, Inspector Moloy Campbell, was allegedly stabbed with a sword during an attempt to apprehend Monzo and injured his hand. The defendant was eventually detained while trying to climb onto a garage to escape. He also "killed and skinned" a cat before the attacks, Mr Little told the court. 'Diminished responsibility' The prosecutor told the jury that the defence will be using the argument of diminished responsibility, which would reduce the murder offence to one of manslaughter. Mr Little added that the defence has the burden of proof to show the jury that their client did not mean to murder Daniel, and that it was more likely than not that he did not intend to commit murder. He also said that Monzo allegedly smoked cannabis that morning - described as a "self-induced intoxication" - and likely suffered from a psychotic disorder with "schizophrenic-like symptoms", including "delusional beliefs" that both he and his family were in "mortal danger". However, Mr Little argued, this won't be enough to diminish Monzo's responsibility. The prosecutor said the defendant was "fit to plead", and so the "defence of insanity" does not apply.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Tattoo artist found guilty of chef's murder through sword attack in car park
A tattoo artist has been found guilty of the murder of a young chef he attacked with a sword causing partial amputation of his left leg, massive blood loss and his subsequent death in hospital has been found guilty of murder. Jurors at the Central Criminal Court in Cork took just over four hours to unanimously convict Dylan Scannell of the murder of 33-year-old father of two Ian Baitson. The victim's loved ones hugged each other and wept when the verdict was returned. Over a week-long trial, the jury heard Scannell (31) struck Mr Baitson from behind the left knee with a sword at the Eurospar car park on Newtown Road in Cobh, Co Cork on the evening of March 15th, 2024. The medical evidence was that the sword cut through muscle, artery and bone. Mr Baitson was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, but he died four days later. READ MORE Mr Scannell will receive a mandatory life sentence. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon thanked the jury members for their diligent service in a 'difficult' case. The trial heard Scannell had sent Mr Baitson a text threatening to chop off his fingers because of a drug debt he at one point claimed amounted to €2,500. Mr Baitson responded by insisting he only owed him a couple of hundred euro. The accused had admitted the manslaughter of Mr Baitson but denied murder. Ian Baitson died from injuries sustained when he was attacked with a sword in a car park in Cobh, Co Cork, in March 2024. Photograph: Family handout/ PA Wire On the night of the attack, Mr Baitson had €185 he planned to give to Scannell. However, the evidence was that he never got the chance to hand over the money. Instead Scannell attacked him with a sword. Mr Baitson had told his mother Helen Goggin he was going to the shop and would be 10 minuts. She heard sirens 20 minutes later and was informed that he had been attacked. Ms Goggin wept during the trial as she said 'they had to turn off the machine' at the hospital four days later. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the trial a postmortem indicated Mr Baitson died of a haemorrhage and shock complicated by brain damage due to the lack of blood supply from an injury caused by sharp force. A single blow from a sharp weapon like a samurai sword caused a fracture to the knee bone and sliced through the two bones below the knee. Scannell, of O'Rahilly Street in Cobh, Co Cork, opted to evidence at the trial. He said he was 'sorry' for what occurred. He said he had supplied Mr Baitson with drugs and loaned him money for a debt he owed to a third party. He insisted Mr Baitson was his friend and said he would give anything to turn back the clock. Scannell said he was having trouble and owed money to another person at the time. He admitted he was a drug addict 'paranoid' when he went to meet Mr Baitson in the car park. He insisted he brought the sword to the car park for 'protection' and never intended to harm Mr Baitson. 'I just wanted to scare him. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I didn't think that by hitting him in the leg I would cause him any damage. I want to say I'm sorry. I would do anything to take it back.' Following the attack, Scannell drove to an area near the harbour in Cobh and threw the sword into the water. The trial heard Mr Baitson was a fit and healthy man who ran road races. He had given up alcohol six months before his death. Mourners at his funeral on March 27th, 2024 were told he was a 'lovable rogue.' Fr Tom McDermott said Mr Baitson was the 'happiest he had ever been' in the period before he died having just participated in a charity run. His family expressed gratitude to all who assisted Mr Baitson when he was attacked in the car park. His brother Richard said bystanders, paramedics and hospital staff gave them four more precious days with him before his death.
Sky News
2 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Hainault trial opens - as it happened: Marcus Arduini Monzo appears in court accused of killing 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in sword attack
Marcus Arduini Monzo is accused of using a sword to kill 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin as the youngster walked to school. It was part of an alleged rampage in northeast London that left four others injured. Monzo denies the charges against him. Follow the latest from the Old Bailey.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Boy, 14, had life ‘snuffed out in an instant by drugged-up mystic in 20-minute sword rampage that injured four others'
A SCHOOLBOY's life was "snuffed out in an instant" by a drugged-up mystic in a 20-minute sword rampage, a court heard. Daniel Anjorin, 14, was ambushed as he made his way to school by Marcus Monzo, 37, in Hainault, East London. 3 3 The Brazilian "mystic" allegedly used "extreme" force on Daniel, who suffered a "devastating and unsurvivable chopping injury" to his neck and face. Jurors heard Monzo also tried to kill female cop Yasim Mechem-Whitfield, Henry De Los Rios Polina, Sindy Arias and Donato Iwule in the horror. Opening the case today, Prosecutor Tom Little KC, said: "This case involved a brutal string of attacks with murderous intent primary committed with the use of a large sword. "It occurred over a period of only about 20 minutes early in morning of 30 April last year in Hainault. "One of those who was attacked was killed - the others were injured with various degrees of severity but the prosecution say there was a clear intention to kill a number of people that morning on the defendant's part. "It did not matter who they were or indeed how old they were." The Old Bailey was told Donato was the first to be attacked when Monzo "deliberately" drove into him in his van. As he was knocked into a garden, Monzo allegedly got out the van and slashed his neck with the Samurai sword. Donato managed to escape as emergency crews were scrambled to the residential street. Meanwhile, Daniel was walking to school "minding his own business" when his life was "snuffed out in an instant". The court heard PC Mechem-Whitfield arrived at the scene of the horror and "bravely pursued" Monzo through alleyways after he tried to flee. Mr Little said: "She too could easily have been killed by the ferocious attack upon her. She was struck three times causing significant injuries." Monzo then burst into a house to attack a couple in their bedroom as their child slept next to them, it was said. Jurors were told their lives were only spared because the youngster woke up and started to cry. Mr Little told the court that Monzo does not dispute he carried out the attacks. But the jury will have decide "why he did so and what his state of mind was" at the time. Mr Little added: "The prosecution case is that this is a clear case of murder and that it is also a clear case of four attempted murders. "We say that the defendant's conduct was brought about by self-induced intoxication in the form of drugs. "This, we say, led to a psychotic disorder but not one meeting the requirements to make out the partial defence to murder of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility." Monzo, of West Beckton, Newham, denies murder, four counts of attempted murder and one of wounding with intent. The trial continues. 3
Sky News
3 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Hainault trial latest: Marcus Arduini Monzo in court accused of killing 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in sword attack
Marcus Arduini Monzo is accused of using a sword to kill 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin as the youngster walked to school. It was part of an alleged rampage in northeast London that left four others injured. Monzo denies carrying out the attack. Follow the latest from the Old Bailey.
