A hero dad shielded his wife and four-year-old daughter from an alleged sword-wielding killer, it is claimed.
Henry De Los Rios Polania, 35, dashed to protect his daughter and partner after Marcus Arduini Monzo, 36, allegedly burst into his house as the family slept.
His 31-year-old sister Jessica De Los Rios said: "To us, he's our hero. He protected them, my niece and my sister-in-law. They were just literally sleeping, opened their eyes to see a man with a big machete sword. He felt helpless in the moment, but to us he is our hero. It could have been extremely worse."
But Mr De Los Rios, an IT engineer, is fighting for his life in hospital having suffered injuries in the scuffle. Monzo appeared in court on Thursday accused of being behind a 22-minute rampage in Hainault, northeast London, which left schoolboy Daniel Anjorin dead and four others seriously wounded – including a police officer who nearly lost her hand.
Ms De Los Rios said her brother sustained a deep wound to his hand and the family were so psychologically damaged that they were unlikely to want to return to the house.
Flanked by three burly male dock officers and one female at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Monzo, a dual Spanish-Brazilian national, wore a prison-issue grey tracksuit and held his left hand over his chest for the entire seven-minute hearing.
When asked to confirm his name, he responded very slowly: "My full name? As of my recollection it is Marcus Aurielo Audini." David Burns, prosecuting, said Monzo drove a van at speed at Donato Iwule, who was walking on the street, before leaving the vehicle and slashing him around the neck, leaving an injury that required hospital treatment.
Monzo, who describes himself online as a "mystic and a musician", then forced entry into the De Los Rios home as the family and their four-year-old child slept, slashing Mr De Los Rios Polania in the neck, the prosecutor said.
Mr Burns said Monzo was shouting: "If you do not believe in God he will cause you harm." The prosecutor added: "He has then left the scene and attacked 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, who was on his way to school."
Senior District Judge and Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: "I am going to send your case, all seven charges, to the Central Criminal Court, you might know it as the Old Bailey. I don't have the power to consider bail. You will therefore be remanded in custody to appear at the Central Criminal Court on 7 May."
Daniel, described by his family as a wonderful child who was "well loved" and "hard working", later died in hospital. The 14-year-old boy, a big Arsenal supporter, was on his way to school when he was stabbed.