A man who was attacked with a machete on the London Underground told the jury the experience was ‘surreal, terrifying and felt like a horror movie’.
Ricky Morgan, 34, is accused of pulling out a machete and a lock knife and slashing James Porritt while they were on the Jubilee line on July 9 last year.
As Morgan faces trial for attempted murder at the Old Bailey in London, grim details about the violence have emerged.
Mr Porritt, in his 30s, told the jury how he was travelling from the gym to meet up with his girlfriend and her dad that evening.
He said he was ‘in a bubble’ because he was nervous about meeting his partner’s parent and not really paying attention to his surroundings.
Suddenly, Mr Porritt heard Morgan let out an ‘unholy scream’ before he started hitting his victim over the head with his weapons, the jury heard.
Mr Porritt said he raised his hand to block the attack, leaving it badly severed. He also ended up with bone-deep cuts to his head and shin.
Mr Porritt said: ‘I was pleading, please stop, please stop. I was in shock, it was like a horror movie. I genuinely thought he was going to kill me.
‘He just would not stop. He was relentless. He said he did not want anybody else, he just wanted me. He was fixated with me.’
Other people on the train claim Morgan said at the time: ‘This is not a terrorist attack, I only want him.
‘I don’t want to kill you, I want to kill him, he was trying to kill me.’
All the while, passengers were screaming and running away from the machete-wielder but many of them ended up piling on top of each other on the floor.
One commuter bravely tried to tell Morgan to ‘calm down’ but it was no use, jurors were told.
Mr Porritt was eventually able to get away from his attacker through a carriage door while holding his mangled hand together.
A doctor, who happened to be on the train, gave him first aid and the police were called.
When officers got to Bond Street station, Morgan dropped his weapon, put his hands up and got onto the floor.
He allegedly told officers it was ‘a road issue” not a ‘terrorist attack’.
He reportedly added: ‘If I had known it would cause this much drama I would not have done it.’
Morgan went on to tell a psychiatrist he had been carrying the machete and lock knife around for some time. He also had an empty vodka bottle in his rucksack.
He has denied responsibility for the attack by reason of insanity. He also denies attempted murder and possessing a machete and lock knife at Green Park on July 9 last year.
The trial continues.
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