Marcus Monzo: Hainault sword killer given life sentence for murder of schoolboy

A man who murdered a 14-year-old boy with a samurai sword as he walked to school in east London has been sentenced to life in prison.

Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, nearly decapitated Daniel Anjorin during a 20-minute rampage in which he attacked five others in Hainault on 30 April last year.

Mr Justice Bennathan told Monzo on Friday that he would serve a minimum of 40 years in prison.

Including time he has already served in custody, it means he will be in prison for 38 years and 309 days before he is eligible for parole, at which point he would be at least 75 years old - though he may never be released.

Handing down the sentence, Mr Justice Bennathan said: "In Hainault, east London, just before 7am on 30 April last year, the weather was good, and the streets were starting to fill with people on their way to work and even a few children heading off early to school.

"Over the 20 minutes that followed, that 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 young boy was killed.

"You, Marcus, did all of that. Daniel was a clever boy, he was gifted musically and played a variety of sports well. His loss is devastating to his parents, his brother and sister and his grandparents

"I am very conscious that no sentence I can pass can even begin to temper Daniel's family's grief."

Daniel's father Dr Ebenezer Anjorin spoke outside the court alongside Daniel's mother, Grace Anjorin, after Monzo's sentencing.

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."

The family thanked police, the prosecution team and "all those who worked tirelessly to seek the truth".

Mr Anjorin added that the family would "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".

Earlier, in a victim impact statement read to the court, Dr Anjorin condemned Monzo's "wicked" actions and said that he could not begin to describe the "pain and anguish" the family felt at losing Daniel.

Mr Anjorin said: "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."

Prosecutors said Monzo tried "to kill as many people as he could" while under the influence of cannabis after he skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard.

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 and denied Daniel's murder, along with four charges of attempted murder, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article.

He was found guilty of Daniel's murder and three charges of attempted murder at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

Monzo was cleared of one count of attempted murder - instead found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm - and convicted of aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article.

During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage from the morning of the attack, 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.

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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.

(c) Sky News 2025: Marcus Monzo: Hainault sword killer given life sentence for murder of schoolboy