A man was charged with attempted murder following the stabbings of two police officers in in Leicester Square on Friday (16), the the Metropolitan Police said.
Mohammed Rahman, 24, from west London, has been charged with attempted murder of a male constable; and with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a female constable following the incident.
Rahman was also charged with assault and two counts of threatening a person in a public place with a bladed article, charges relating to three other constables. He was also charged with robbery and possession of a bladed article.
Earlier, Police said that the stabbings in Leicester Square were not being treated as terror-related.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan termed the incident as appalling.
"This attack on serving police officers in Soho overnight is utterly appalling. These brave officers were doing their duty and assisting the public at this momentous time for our country," Khan was quoted as saying be media outlets
“My thoughts and prayers are with them, their loved ones, and police colleagues following this disgraceful attack. Our police officers run towards danger to protect others and keep us safe and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude."
The mayor said that he discussed the incident with the new commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, adding that attacks against the police will not be tolerated.
He also urged the public to co-operate with the investigation.
Met Commissioner said that the female police officer suffered a life-changing injury while the male officer is expected to make a full recovery.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)