Machete attack on London Underground likened to ‘horror movie’, court says

Ricky Morgan is said to have hacked James Porritt with a machete in a random attack on the London Underground, forcing him to flee the carriage while holding the severed parts of his hand together

A machete-wielding man hacked a commuter on the London Underground in scenes compared to a “horror movie,” jurors said.

Panicked passengers fell on top of each other as they fled through the carriages as Ricky Morgan launched an unprovoked attack on James Porritt, the Old Bailey heard.

Morgan, 34, is said to have told horrified onlookers: “This is not a terrorist attack, I just want it.”

Prosecutor Grace Ong said: “James Porritt and Ricky Morgan were total strangers.

“This was, according to prosecutors, a completely unprovoked attack on a Jubilee Line commuter going about his daily business.”

On the evening of July 9 last year, Mr Porritt, a self-employed businessman, was reportedly visiting a gym and was on his way to meet his girlfriend and her father in west London.

He boarded a train in Westminster and was headed towards Green Park when Morgan produced the machete and lock knife from his backpack, the court heard.

In a video interview played in court, Mr Porritt described minding his own business and finding himself in a “bubble” as he sat in the carriage.

He was reportedly looking at his phone and was nervous about the family reunion when he heard a scream.

Next thing he knew, the defendant hit him on the head, the court heard.

He raised his hand to protect himself during the attack, the court heard.

Describing the attack, he said: “I begged please stop, please stop.

“I was shocked, it was like something out of a horror movie. I really thought he was going to kill me.”

He said it was “so surreal” to be attacked by a stranger on a rush hour train.

“He just didn’t want to stop. He was relentless. He said he didn’t want anyone anymore, he just wanted me. He was fixated on me,” Mr Porritt said.

He managed to escape through a carriage door while holding the severed parts of his hand together.

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People were screaming but they couldn’t stop Morgan, he added: “It was just terrifying.”

In addition to the serious injury to his right hand, Mr Porritt suffered bone-deep lacerations to his head and shin, the jury said.

Ms Ong said: “The attack almost severed one of the fingers on one of his hands and it means James Porritt will never be able to use his right hand properly again.

“He also sustained very serious injuries, a laceration, a cut on the head that went to the skull but did not fracture the skull.

“And he suffered another knife wound from that machete, a cut on his shin that went down to his shinbone and fractured his shinbone.”

According to witnesses, passengers stood up and screamed when the attacker started brandishing a knife.

Many tried to run away but fell to the ground in panic, the court heard.

A witness said the attacker let out an “unholy scream” as he struck with the machete.

He was heard saying, “This is not a terrorist attack, I just want it.

“I don’t want to kill you, I want to kill him, he tried to kill me.”

Mr Porritt told police: “It was almost like he was a predator and he was chasing and he decided he was chasing me.”

Another passenger valiantly tried to engage with Morgan, telling him to “calm down,” the court heard.

Meanwhile, a doctor who happened to be on the train gave Mr Porritt first aid, the court heard.

When confronted by police, Morgan dropped the blade, raised his hands and went to the ground, a jury heard.

He reportedly told officers it was “a road problem,” not a “terrorist attack,” adding, “If I had known it was going to cause so much drama, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Ms Ong told jurors the defendant denied responsibility for the attack because of insanity.

He should tell a psychiatrist that he has been carrying the machete and the lock knife for some time, Ms Ong said.

He also had an almost empty bottle of vodka in his backpack, the court heard.

Morgan, who is of no fixed address, denies attempted murder and possession of a machete and a locking knife in Green Park on July 9 last year.

The Old Bailey trial continues.