CCTV of police slashed with sword seen by jury

Video footage of Metropolitan Police officers being attacked by a man with a sword has been shown to the jury at the Daniel Anjorin murder trial.

Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, denies murdering 14-year-old Daniel and trying to kill four others during a 20-minute series of attacks in Hainault, north-east London, last April.

Video from police body-worn cameras showed what the Old Bailey heard was the bravery of the officers as they confronted the defendant.

The jury was told that camera footage from an ambulance showed Mr Monzo trying to attack paramedics as he struck the vehicle's windows with his sword, as they arrived to treat Daniel's injuries after the defendant allegedly slashed him from behind.

Daniel Anjorin was stabbed as he left his home on his way to school

Warning: this story contains details some may find distressing

On Thursday, the Old Bailey heard from the defendant's brother Eduardo, who said Mr Monzo had consumed ayahuasca – a hallucinogenic plant-based drink commonly used in South America – during a stay at a remote retreat in the Amazon.

"I became slightly concerned because I had heard some people had a negative response to that drink," he said through a Portuguese interpreter.

After his arrest, no trace of DMT – the hallucinogen found in ayahuasca – was detected in Mr Monzo's system.

After attending retreats in India and the Amazon, he began to withdraw from the family, his brother said.

He said the defendant spent hours meditating, sleeping on the floor and avoiding physical contact, particularly with their mother.

He said his brother followed a YouTube spiritual guru named Sadhguru, but later burned a picture of him and claimed the guru was "a demon who put a spell on him".

He was "not the same person", the witness said, and in the days before the attack had started "talking strange" and avoiding family contact.

The jury at the Old Bailey has been shown footage of the defendant with a samurai sword

Earlier on Thursday Met Police Insp Moloy Campbell gave evidence to the court, telling jurors how the defendant had slashed at him with a "large sword".

Insp Campbell told the Old Bailey he saw blood when he looked down at his hand after being attacked.

He said he was "disappointed" to have been injured as this hampered his pursuit of Mr Monzo, adding: "It was frightening. I remember my priority to try to carry on."

The Old Bailey has heard that before the attacks he allegedly carried out, Mr Monzo killed, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard.

Jurors have been told that during the rampage Mr Monzo fatally struck Daniel on the head with a sword, and attacked a pedestrian, two police officers and a couple in their own home.

Afterwards, he likened events to the Hollywood movie The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a "professional assassin".

'Extreme force'

Previously, the court heard how Mr Monzo launched a series of attacks by driving his grey Ford Transit van into Donato Iwule, who was "catapulted" into a nearby garden before the vehicle smashed into a concrete pillar and fence.

He went on to hit Mr Iwule in the neck with his sword before running away, it is alleged.

PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield pursued the defendant through a series of alleyways, the court heard on Tuesday.

Using "extreme force", Mr Monzo struck her three times with the sword that had a 60cm blade, the jury was told.

Mr Monzo denies Daniel's murder and attempting to murder Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and PC Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Insp Campbell with intent.

The defendant also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. He previously admitted two counts of having an offensive weapon, namely two swords.

The trial continues.