Latest news with #DanielAnjorin
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Man jailed for at least 40 years for sword murder of London boy Daniel Anjorin
A man has been jailed for at least 40 years for the 'wicked' murder of the schoolboy Daniel Anjorin during a 20-minute rampage in east London. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, fatally slashed Daniel with a samurai sword minutes after the 14-year-old left his home in Hainault on 30 April last year. In a televised sentencing, Mr Justice Bennathan jailed Monzo for life with a minimum term of 40 years for murder, and for attacking three other members of the public and two police officers. The judge described a 'peaceful, busy scene' being 'devastated as members of the public were attacked, police officers were gravely injured, a couple were terrified in their own home, and a clever, talented, much-loved young boy was killed by a savage blow with a sword. You, Marcos Arduini Monzo, did all of that.' Earlier, Daniel's father, Ebenezer Anjorin, had condemned Monzo's 'wicked' actions and described losing his son as his 'worst nightmare'. Speaking publicly about it for the first time, Anjorin described the moment he saw his fatally injured son lying in the street. 'I did not realise that it was Daniel at first but, as I got closer, I recognised the school sports clothes and saw his face. He was lying in a pool of blood and had a deep cut to his face running from the side of his mouth to the back of his neck. He was motionless. I knew at once that he was dead, but I reached down, called his name and held his head.' After a few minutes, he said, he called Daniel's mother, who screamed and cried when she arrived home and saw paramedics trying to resuscitate her son, who died later in hospital. Anjorin said he could not begin to describe the 'pain and anguish' the family felt at losing Daniel, who was academically gifted and enjoyed sports and music. 'We will not see him get married or have children. All the normal things parents hope for their children. All these hopes and aspirations have been cruelly snatched away from us through the wicked actions of Marcus Monzo. It has been the worst nightmare experience of our lives. To have to go through the pain of losing a child in such a cruel and savage way. No family should have to go through this.' In his sentencing, Bennathan said the police officers involved 'behaved with exemplary courage and put their lives on the line to protect the public they served'. He also paid tribute to the 'calm dignified' manner of Daniel's relatives throughout the trial, and said no sentence would 'begin to temper' their grief. Speaking outside court afterwards, the boy's parents, Grace and Ebenezer, agreed, saying: 'No verdict or sentence can bring back our son Daniel, who we loved so dearly, but we are grateful that justice has been served.' They added: 'His life had so much potential ahead. He was gifted academically, was kind and had a generous spirit that touched everyone who knew him … We honour Daniel's memory not in the shadow of this tragedy but through the love and happiness that he brought to us and all those who knew him.' The court had heard Monzo drove his van into Donato Iwule, who ran away screaming as the attacker got out of the vehicle and came at him with a sword. Monzo then attacked Daniel from behind, causing unsurvivable neck injuries. When PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield tried to detain Monzo, he repeatedly struck her with 'savage' blows, causing severe injuries. He burst into the home of Henry De Los Rios Polania and Sindy Arias, who had been asleep with their young child nearby. Insp Moloy Campbell cornered Monzo in a car park and ran in with his baton raised but was slashed on the hand. Officers eventually detained the delivery driver, who had become psychotic after taking cannabis. Afterwards, Monzo, who had viewed far-right and misogynistic content on social media, claimed to have an alternate persona of a 'professional assassin'. A jury in his Old Bailey trial found Monzo guilty of Daniel's murder, and the attempted murder of Iwule, Arias and Mechem-Whitfield. He was convicted of wounding De Los Rios Polania and Campbell with intent. He was also convicted of aggravated burglary and having an article with a blade or point. He admitted possessing the samurai sword used to kill Daniel and a katana sword found in his van.
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Daniel Anjorin's parents describe heartbreak after sword killer jailed for life
The father of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin has spoken of his heartbreak after the schoolboy's killer was jailed for at least 40 years. Marcus Monzo, 37, was sentenced at the Old Bailey after embarking on a 20-minute rampage through Hainault, east London, on April 30 last year. He was also convicted of attacking three more members of the public and two police officers. Speaking outside court after the sentencing on Friday, Dr Ebenezer Anjorin said it marked the end of a 'painful and deeply traumatic chapter' and paid tribute to their son's 'generous spirit'. Reading a statement alongside Daniel's mother, Grace, he said: 'This has been a painful and deeply traumatic chapter in our lives. 'No verdict or sentence can bring back our son Daniel, who we loved so dearly, but we are grateful that justice has been served. 'Daniel was taken from us in a way that no family should ever have to endure. 'His life had so much potential ahead. 'He was gifted academically, was kind and had a generous spirit that touched everyone who knew him. 'We carry that light with us, even in this dark time. 'We want to express our deepest thanks to the police, prosecution team, and all those who worked tirelessly to seek the truth. 'Your dedication has meant more than words can fully convey. 'To everyone who has supported us through this ordeal, friends, family, our church, our workplaces, our children's schools and even strangers, thank you. 'Your love and support has been a lifeline. 'We honour Daniel's memory, not in the shadow of this tragedy but through the love and happiness that he brought to us and all those who knew him. 'Thank you.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Daniel Anjorin's father describes ‘painful and traumatic chapter' after son's killer jailed for life
The family of a boy murdered with a samurai sword in an unprovoked attack in east London last year has described losing their son as a 'painful and deeply traumatic chapter.' Daniel Anjorin, 14, was walking to school in his PE kit when he was ambushed by Marcus Arduini Monzo during a 20-minute rampage in Hainault. Monzo, 37, was convicted on Wednesday (25 June) of Daniel's murder, three counts of attempted murder, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary, and possessing a bladed article. He was sentenced to life on Friday. Daniel's father, Dr Ebenezer Anjorin, said: 'Daniel was taken from us in a way that no family should ever have to endure.' 'His life had so much potential ahead,' he added.
New York Times
3 days ago
- New York Times
London Man Who Killed a Boy With a Samurai Sword Receives Life Sentence
A man who killed a 14-year-old boy last April as part of a 20-minute sword rampage through residential streets in London was given a life sentence on Friday. Footage showed Marcos Arduini Monzo, the man, shouting, 'Is anybody here who believes in God?' and attacking police officers after killing the boy, who was walking to school. Daniel Anjorin, the murdered boy, was killed yards away from his family home in Hainault, in northeast London, and was found, still wearing his school backpack, in the street by his father. During the course of his rampage in the early morning of April 30, 2024, Mr. Monzo, 37, attacked several other people, including two police officers. He was convicted of murder and attempted murder, along with other offenses committed during the outbreak. On Friday, during a televised sentencing hearing, he was given a life sentence, with a minimum prison term of 40 years before he can be considered for parole. 'Over 20 minutes, a peaceful, busy scene was devastated as members of the public were attacked, police officers were gravely injured, a couple were terrified in their own home, and a clever, talented, much-loved young boy was killed by a savage blow with a sword,' Judge Joel Bennathan said during the sentencing. Mr. Monzo began his violence shortly after 7 a.m., when he was driving a van and struck a man who was walking to work. Mr. Monzo then got out of the van and attacked him with a large samurai sword. After the injured victim was able to escape, Mr. Monzo ran up to Daniel Anjorin and attacked him from behind, the Metropolitan Police said. When an ambulance arrived on the scene, Mr. Monzo hit the vehicle with his sword, and then refused to drop his weapon when told to do so by police officers. Police do not routinely carry firearms in Britain, and those at the scene were carrying batons and Tasers. Officers chased Mr. Monzo when he ran down an alleyway, but he turned and attacked a female officer, fracturing her skull. He then entered a house and attacked a couple, who had been sleeping near their 4-year-old daughter. The father defended his wife with his arm, which was deeply cut, and Mr. Monzo left after the girl started crying. Mr. Monzo was then cornered near a garage. A police officer fought him with a baton before Mr. Monzo was subdued with Tasers. While Mr. Monzo had voiced support for a number of extremist positions on social media — including admiration for Adolf Hitler and belief in flat-Earth conspiracy theories — prosecutors did not say they believed he had any political motive for the attack. Instead, he was experiencing cannabis-induced psychosis at the time, and had killed and tried to eat his pet cat earlier that morning, prosecutors told his trial at London's Old Bailey court.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Daniel Anjorin's parents talk of their loss after killer jailed
The heartbroken family of murdered schoolboy Daniel Anjorin have spoken after his killer was ordered to serve at least 38 years in Monzo fatally wounded the 14-year-old with a samurai sword after he left his home in Hainault, east London, on 30 April last sentence at the Old Bailey, Judge Mr Justice Bennathan said Monzo inflicted an "unsurvivable wound".Outside court Daniel's mother, Grace Anjorin, was joined by his father, Dr Ebenezer Anjorin, who read the following statement. This has been a painful and deeply traumatic chapter in our lives. No verdict or sentence can bring back our son Daniel, who we loved so dearly but we are grateful that justice has been was taken from us in a way that no family should ever have to endure. His life had so much potential ahead. He was gifted academically, was kind and had a generous spirit that touched everyone who knew carry that light with us, even in this dark time. We want to express our deepest thanks to the police, prosecution team, and all those who worked tirelessly to seek the truth. Your dedication has meant more than words can fully convey. To everyone who has supported us through this ordeal, friends, family, our church, our workplaces, our children's schools and even strangers: thank you. Your love and support has been a honour Daniel's memory not in the shadow of this tragedy but through the love and happiness that he brought to us and all those who knew him. Thank you.
