Marcus Monzo denies re-enacting deadly attack on 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin as conspiracy claims swirl

The man accused of hacking a 14-year-old schoolboy to death with a Samurai sword in a frenzied daylight rampage stunned the Old Bailey this week by claiming he has no memory of the savage attack.

Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, allegedly murdered teenager Daniel Anjorin in a 20-minute stabbing spree in Hainault, East London, last April. In a jaw-dropping display from the witness box, Monzo flatly denied claims he had re-enacted the brutal slaying while in psychiatric care, telling jurors, “I don’t remember anything.”

Prosecutors allege Monzo embarked on a killing spree inspired by fantasies of violence, likening his actions to scenes from The Hunger Games. The court was told he spoke of an “alternative personality” and identified himself as a “professional assassin”. But Monzo waved off these allegations, insisting under oath that his taste leaned more towards “Lego movies” and that he had never watched all of The Hunger Games films.

In a chilling video clip shown to the jury, Monzo was seen brandishing a sword and calling it “frigging sexy” just before the bloodshed. Asked about the footage, the defendant claimed it was a joke. “Had I seen that again,” he said, “I’d have deleted it because it was embarrassing.”

The trial, which has gripped the capital, heard that five others were injured during the same rampage that claimed Daniel’s life. The teenager’s death sent shockwaves through the local community, with floral tributes piling up near the scene in the days that followed.

Monzo admits to owning two swords, including the one used in the attack, but denies wielding either of them to kill or injure anyone. He pleaded not guilty to murder, four counts of attempted murder, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.

Yet the most surreal moments of the trial came as Monzo delivered a barrage of outlandish conspiracy theories from the witness stand. He stated, without hesitation, that the Earth is flat and that the 9/11 terror attacks were “probably fake.” He claimed such views developed after a trip to India, where he consumed psychedelic tea and smoked cannabis. “It changed the way I saw the world,” he told the court.

The testimony left the courtroom stunned. Legal experts described the defence strategy as bordering on chaotic, with Monzo swerving between denial, conspiracy, and vague admissions of altered states. The prosecution maintains that he was fully aware of his actions and driven by a dark obsession with violent fantasies.

The parents of Daniel Anjorin, visibly emotional in court, are among many demanding answers. Is Monzo mad, bad—or both? With their son gone and no sign of remorse, their grief has been compounded by the defendant’s erratic claims and courtroom antics.

The wider public has watched the case unfold with a mixture of horror and disbelief. The image of a man in broad daylight roaming the streets of a London suburb, slashing at strangers with a Samurai sword, has reignited fears about knife crime, mental health failures, and public safety.

As the trial continues, the stakes remain sky-high. If found guilty, Monzo could face a life sentence. If declared mentally unfit, he may be committed to a high-security psychiatric facility indefinitely.

For now, the community of Hainault mourns, a family grieves, and a nation looks on—desperate for justice, but haunted by the madness that unfolded in their streets.