Footage shown to jurors shows Marcus Monzo, accused of murdering schoolboy Daniel Anjorin a blade rampage in East London, unboxing a long samurai-style sword while a kitten watches on
Accused Daniel Anjorin killer unboxes sword
Video footage has been played in court showing the man accused of murdering a schoolboy during a sword rampage in East London unboxing a samurai sword.
Marcus Monzo, 37, is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin and attempting to kill four others during a 20-minute series of attacks in Hainault in April last year. He denies the charges. The court previously heard how he skinned his cat before the horrific attack. The footage shows Monzo unboxing a long samurai-style sword. He steps into frame, where a kitten is sitting in front of a punching bag with another samurai sword visible in the background.
Last week jurors heard Mr Monzo skinned and deboned his own cat before carrying out the alleged attacks, and was under the influence of cannabis. But, the prosecution say the psychotic state was self-induced and did not meet the threshold for diminished responsibility.
“I’m here with the wizard,” Monzo tells the camera, pointing at the tiny cat. “This just came through the post,” he continues, indicating a long cardboard box. “So I’m sort of obliged to do some ninja stuff,” he adds. ”With the wizard.”
He proceeds to unwrap layers of cardboard before revealing a long curved sword in a sheath inside a cloth bag. At one point he gestures to the cat saying: “He doesn’t like my [inaudible]. He’s just a kitten”.
The video was played to the jury yesterday at the Old Bailey, where Monzo is on trial charged with 10 offences including the murder of Daniel Anjorin, four counts for other alleged attempted murders as well as one count of wounding with intent, and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.
“This is hand made in Japan,” he tells the camera. “It took more than a month to reach me”. He slowly unwraps the sword calling it “frikking sexy,” and exclaiming the handle is made of real leather.
He then lunges at the camera making “wah” noises before finishing to unwrap the clingfilm keeping the blade and sheath together. In separate clips played to jurors at the Old Bailey on Tuesday (June 10), doorbell footage showed Monzo shouting ‘don’t you believe in God’, while mobile phone footage appeared to show bystanders shouting ‘f**k’ and ‘he’s dead’.
CCTV from the first ambulance to respond showed the moment Monzo appeared to grab the door handle, hit the driver-side door with his sword, then chase after the vehicle. London Ambulance Service (LAS) paramedic Stephanie Baisden told jurors the incident was ‘extremely terrifying’.
“I stopped the vehicle close to Daniel,” she said, “As that happened my colleague Mr Allan shouted ‘drive drive’… I was spinning around to my right. That was when the suspect was at my window.
“The male was holding a very large sword, machete-type weapon. I could see he was wearing yellow. His weapon was right in his hand. He was trying to force that into the driver-side where I was sitting.” Her colleague was forced to lock the door to stop him entering.
After driving off down a cul-de-sac, Ms Baisden performed a three-point turn and waited before returning to treat Daniel and take him to hospital. The other paramedic, Lachlan Allan, said he was getting out of his door when he saw Monzo ‘running’ towards the driver-side with a ‘large sword’. “He left marks of blood on the driver window where he smacked it,” added Mr Allan.
Police officers who raced to the scene tried to subdue Monzo using PAVA spray, then chased him into a nearby alleyway where PC Yasmin Mechen-Whitfield was struck three times with the sword leaving her badly injured, jurors heard. After support arrived, another officer, Inspector Moloy Campbell, was also injured.
After entering the home of a family, Monzo was disarmed and arrested. 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.