Latest news with #Wizard
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Celtic legends to face Man Utd greats at Parkhead as hero to return three years after tear-filled farewell
The match will be played on Saturday September 6, 2025 at Celtic Park after the pair went head to head last year at Old Trafford Celtic legends will host a team of Manchester United greats at Parkhead as Tom Rogic gets ready to pull on the hoops once again. The Wizard of Oz makes his long awaited return to Glasgow's east end and he will be joined in the squad by former No1 Joe Hart as they team up with a host of iconic names for the latest charity match between the two clubs. Last September the pair went head to head at Old Trafford and played out a 1-1 draw, with the Bhoys eventually coming out on top following a penalty shoot-out as they get set to do it all again at Parkhead later this year. The match will take place on Saturday, September 6, 2025 and kick off at 2pm. On earning spots on the team for the big occasion, ex- Celtic keeper Hart said: 'I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Celtic Park for the Legends match in September. "It was such an honour to finish my career with the club and, although it's only been just over a year since I left Glasgow, I really can't wait to come back and play in front of the fans again. "It'll be brilliant to see some familiar faces and it promises to be a great occasion. I was always so impressed by the work of the Foundation during my time at Celtic and it's going to be fantastic to play a part in hopefully raising plenty of money through this match.' Rogic added: 'It's really exciting to be coming back for the Legends match against Manchester United. "My time with Celtic was such a huge part of my career and there were so many amazing memories, so to come back and pull on the Hoops again will be a very special moment. "There was always such a big focus from the club on helping others and the work that the Foundation do is phenomenal, so it's a privilege to be involved and I'm sure the supporters will come out in their numbers as they always do.' Tickets for the Legends match will be priced at £18 for adults and £9 for concessions. Season ticket holders will have first dibs with an exclusive purchase window from 10am on Thursday, July 3. All remaining tickets will then be placed on general sale from 10am on Monday, July 7. A range of matchday hospitality packages will also be available to purchase shortly, starting at £42 per person.
Sky News
25-06-2025
- Sky News
Hainault sword attacker Marcus Monzo found guilty of murdering boy, 14, and three attempted murders
A man has been found guilty of murdering a 14-year-old boy with a samurai sword as he walked to school in east London. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, nearly decapitated Daniel Anjorin and attacked five others during a 20-minute rampage in Hainault on 30 April last year. Prosecutors said he skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before trying "to kill as many people as he could" while under the influence of cannabis. Monzo, a Spanish-Brazilian national from Newham in east London, admitted two charges of possessing an offensive weapon relating to two swords, which he said he bought for display purposes. He claimed he had no memory of carrying out the attacks denied Daniel's murder along with four charges of attempted murder, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article. He was cleared of one count of attempted murder - instead found guilty of intending grievous harm - and found guilty of all other charges following a trial at the Old Bailey. The court heard Monzo was a "talented martial artist" and the jury was shown footage of him unboxing a samurai sword on 4 April last year. In the four-minute video clip, he calls the weapon "freaking sexy" as he lunges towards the camera and makes different moves. 1:27 The court was also shown CCTV footage from the morning of 30 April, with audible screams in one clip as Monzo drove his grey Ford Transit van at speed into pedestrian Donato Iwule. Mr Iwule told jurors: "I thought I was dying" and "I saw blood coming out of my neck", after he was struck with a sword before running away. Witnesses described how Monzo was running around "like a maniac" and "looked a bit mad, like there was nothing there". Daniel, who had left home at around 7am wearing headphones and school sports clothes, suffered "a near-decapitation" when Monzo attacked him with the weapon from behind, prosecutor Tom Little KC told the jury. PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield chased the armed attacker through alleyways before Monzo struck her three times with the 60cm blade using "extreme force", the court heard. He then entered a nearby house through the back door and walked upstairs before attacking sleeping couple Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania, who he asked: "Do you believe in God?" Mr Little said their lives were only spared because their four-year-old daughter, who was sleeping nearby, woke up and started to cry. Monzo, who had been cornered by police, also struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was finally disarmed and arrested after trying to climb onto a garage to escape. Doorbell footage shows the moment officers shout: "Don't move, don't f****** move", after he was brought to the ground by three separate taser discharges. Monzo told police he had "many personalities", including a "professional assassin", and compared the events to The Hunger Games film franchise. He wept while giving evidence as he said he did not intend to harm anybody and told jurors he had no memory of what happened. He told how he had previously used psychedelic drugs and smoked cannabis "three or four times a week" before the attack, but denied doing so on the day. Prosecutors said he likely suffered from a psychotic disorder with "schizophrenic-like symptoms", including "delusional beliefs" that both he and his family were in "mortal danger". But Mr Little said his psychotic state was self-induced and did not meet the threshold for diminished responsibility.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Cannabis changed me, claims 'sword killer who hacked boy aged 14 to death after hallucinating that his cat was causing "Armageddon"', court hears
A drug-crazed killer launched a samurai sword rampage hacking a 14-year-old boy to death after hallucinating that his cat was causing 'Armageddon', a court heard yesterday. Marcus Monzo, 37, admitted that he had been using cannabis 'extensively' which had changed his personality and caused a mental health decline. In the grip of a cannabis-induced 'psychotic disorder', the Brazilian is said to have strangled, skinned and deboned his cat, Wizard, before attempting to eat it. Minutes later, Monzo is alleged to have set off with the animal's remains on a baking tray, a number of swords and a ball-bearing gun on a mission to kill, shouting 'does anyone believe in God'. Yesterday Monzo claimed he could not remember killing Daniel Anjorin, 14, as he was walking to school. Nor could he remember ramming a pedestrian with his van or charging into a nearby house and attacking a terrified couple in their bedroom in front of their four-year-old child during the 20-minute rampage in Hainault, east London, on April 30 last year. Yesterday Monzo told the Old Bailey that he had been consumed by 'paranoia and anxiety'. Monzo claimed he stopped smoking cannabis in 2015 because it changed his personality, but he started using cannabis daily again in 2023. But he denied smoking cannabis on the day. In the days before the attack, Monzo said: 'I believed the cat was being used against me and I started receiving guidance, communication... telling me to kill the cat.' He tried to cook Wizard, but he became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was occurring. Monzo wept while giving evidence saying he did not intend to harm anybody, adding: 'My memory after I left my home... gradually it becomes very vague and abstract... not very clear.' Monzo denies murder, attempted murder, aggravated burglary by entering a property with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, wounding with intent and having an article with a blade or point, namely a kitchen knife. The trial continues.
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Telegraph
Alleged sword killer ‘tried to eat own cat'
An alleged sword attacker has told a court how he tried to cook and eat his cat before killing a schoolboy. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before allegedly launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while under the influence of cannabis, prosecutors say. He is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple - Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania - in their home on April 30 last year. Giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Friday, Monzo wept as he said he did not intend to harm anybody when asked about why he bought swords. He told jurors that in the days before the alleged attacks he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces'. He said he took the animal to a park to get rid of it, but it had returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the alleged rampage, and that he then strangled it despite not wanting to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back, I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors: 'I didn't have time to eat the cat.' He then put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening. I didn't know exactly what. I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. Prosecutors say he allegedly used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before his victim managed to escape. Asked why he changed direction, Monzo said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day. Why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' Prosecutors allege he then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield allegedly chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. It is also claimed he struck Insp Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. The defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was Tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Insp Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Sword attack accused ‘had no time to eat cat' and recalls nothing of killing
An alleged sword attacker has told a court he tried to cook and eat his cat, believing it was 'against' him, but claimed to have no memory of killing a schoolboy during a rampage in London. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while allegedly under the influence of cannabis, prosecutors say. He is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple in their home on April 30 last year. Monzo wept while giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Friday as he said he did not intend to harm anybody when asked about why he bought the swords. He told jurors that in the days before the attacks he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces' and he took it to a park to get rid of it. He said the cat returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the rampage, and that he strangled it despite claiming he did not want to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors 'I didn't have time to eat the cat', so he put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening, I didn't know exactly what, I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. He used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before the victim escaped, jurors heard. Asked why he changed direction, the defendant said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day, why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' He then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, the court heard. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. He also struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. However, the defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo said he was smoking cannabis 'three or four times a week' before the attack, but denied doing so on the day. Jurors heard that he told an expert that cannabis was a 'major contributor' to the rampage, but he played down its effects on Friday. He told jurors he did not think it 'guided' the killing. Monzo had earlier spoken of taking psychedelics and drinking his own urine years before amid an interest in spirituality. Around 2017, he began following YouTube spiritual guru Sadhguru, which led to a year-long stay in India, jurors heard. Monzo said he was taught at a retreat to detach from family and friends. During a weekend trip, he took ayahuasca — a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America. He returned to the UK 'looking skinnier', before travelling to a remote part of Brazil to consume more ayahuasca, the court heard. Monzo also said he took ayahuasca twice in the UK, describing it as having stronger effects during 'ceremonies'. He later travelled again to Brazil and India, and also attended breatharian festivals in Italy and Denmark, which promote living without food, jurors were told. On his return to the UK, Monzo said he argued with family members because he was 'not very clean'. The defendant told the court he began drinking his own urine for 'cleaning' purposes. He added: 'I would use it to shower, on the hair, even using it on the nose.' After the attack, he likened events to Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a 'professional assassin', the court heard. Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Mr Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues.
