A machete-wielding man hacked at a commuter on the London Underground in scenes likened to a “horror movie”, a court has heard.
Passengers toppled over each other as they fled through carriages when Ricky Morgan, 34, launched an unprovoked attack on businessman James Porritt, the Old Bailey heard.
On 9 July last year, Mr Porritt got on a train at Westminster heading towards Green Park underground station when Morgan produced the machete and a lock knife from his rucksack, jurors were told.
Mr Porritt, who was on his way to meet his girlfriend and her father, was looking at his phone and the next thing he knew Morgan was hitting him over the head, the court was told.
The businessman managed to get away and through a carriage door and suffered a severe injury to his right hand alongside bone-deep cuts to his head and shin, jurors were told.
Describing the attack, Mr Porritt said: “I was in shock, it was like a horror movie. I genuinely thought he was going to kill me.”
Mr Porritt described the machete as like something out of Arabian Nights and said he did not feel anything but saw the blood as Morgan smashed an object over his head.
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He added that he did not understand why Morgan was hitting him.
He said: “He was like a machine. It was like that movie Terminator.
“But it seemed very focused and relentless and he was just hellbent on doing what he was doing.
“I’ve got nothing left now. I don’t know how I escaped.
“I just knew, fight or flight. I just ran for my life. It was like a stampede, people were terrified.”
Morgan, of no fixed address, denies attempted murder and possessing a machete and lock knife at Green Park, by reason of insanity.
He was allegedly heard to tell horrified onlookers: “This is not a terror attack, I only want him.”
Prosecutor Grace Ong said Mr Porritt and Morgan were “complete strangers”.
“This was, the prosecution say, a completely unprovoked attack on a commuter on the Jubilee Line going about his daily business.”
According to witnesses, passengers got up and screamed when the attacker started waving the knife around and tried to run away, the court heard.
Another passenger tried to engage with Morgan and told him to “calm down”, while a doctor who happened to be on the train gave Mr Porritt first aid, the court heard.
On being confronted by police, Morgan dropped the blade, put his hands up and got on the floor, jurors were told.
He allegedly told officers it was “a road issue” not a “terrorist attack”, adding: “If I had known it would cause this much drama I would not have done it.”
Morgan also had an almost empty bottle of vodka in his rucksack, the court heard.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
