Stella Gollovena, 47, has appeared in court accused of stabbing four men in the back with a pair of scissors in one of London's busiest tourist districts. The attack occurred in Covent Garden on Wednesday lunchtime.
Charges and court appearance
Gollovena, of no fixed address, faces five criminal charges: four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of possession of an offensive weapon, namely a pair of scissors, in a public place. She appeared at Highbury Corner magistrates court on Thursday afternoon for the first hearing.
The alleged victims are Patrick De Barr, Thomas Harding, Adrian Lovett, and Mantas Jankus.
Incident details
The court heard that police were flagged down in Endell Street, a popular tourist area filled with bars, theatres, and restaurants, at about 12.25pm by one of the injured victims. He and a second man reported being stabbed, and the suspect was chased and Tasered.
Police took statements from four men treated in hospital for stab wounds to their backs. A fifth person at the scene said they had also been stabbed but did not want to give a statement. Gollovena allegedly had a pair of scissors, also described as a "pair of shears," when arrested.
Remand and injuries
Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram remanded Gollovena in custody until the next hearing at Snaresbrook crown court on 3 September. She spoke to confirm her identity but entered no pleas.
An air ambulance landed in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday afternoon. London ambulance service said it "treated four patients at the scene and took them all to a major trauma centre as a priority by road." The Met said the four men, aged 34, 39, 42, and 56, had stab wounds but had since been discharged from hospital, as their injuries were not deemed life-threatening or life-changing.
