Update: Man Who K!lled 14-Year-Old Daniel Anjorin Allegedly Triggered by Cannabis-Induced Psychosis

A court has heard that the man accused of taking the life of British-Nigerian schoolboy Daniel Anjorin, 14, and injuring four others in a sword attack, may have been driven by a psychotic episode allegedly sparked by cannabis use. Marcus Monzo, 37, from West Beckton, Newham, is facing charges of murdering Daniel as he walked to school in Hainault, east London, on April 30 last year.

Monzo is also accused of attempting to murder police officer PC Yasim Mechem-Whitfield, IT engineer Henry De Los Rios Polina, Sindy Arias, and Donato Iwule, who was struck by Monzo’s van. Additional charges include causing grievous bodily harm with a katana-style sword, wounding with intent, and possession of a bladed weapon.

On the first day of the trial, the court was told that Daniel died from an “unsurvivable” neck injury, described as nearly decapitating. Before the rampage, Monzo reportedly killed and skinned his cat, with police later finding the animal and cannabis at his home. The attack began at 6:51 a.m., with Monzo allegedly high on cannabis, first targeting Donato Iwule with his van before fatally attacking Daniel and injuring four others, all while shouting about God.

Prosecutor Tom Little, KC, described the spree as a “brutal string of attacks with murderous intent,” all within a 20-minute window. Daniel, the youngest of three in a church-going Nigerian family, was simply on his way to school when he was attacked. The force used was described as extreme, resulting in devastating injuries to Daniel and others.

Monzo had purchased the sword a month prior, and cannabis was detected in his system after the incident. Witnesses described chaos and panic as Monzo attacked, with emergency services and police struggling to intervene. Despite attempts at CPR, Daniel was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Monzo reportedly continued his rampage, attacking police officers and others, even after being pepper-sprayed and repeatedly told to drop his weapon. The defense argued Monzo suffered from a pre-existing schizotypal disorder, making him vulnerable to psychosis from cannabis use, while prosecution experts maintained that voluntary drug misuse was the main factor in his mental deterioration.

Experts are set to debate whether Monzo’s actions meet the threshold for diminished responsibility due to mental illness. The trial has been adjourned until Monday.