A harrowing account unfolded in Wood Green Crown Court today as details emerged of a violent rampage allegedly perpetrated by Matteo Bottarelli, a hospital maintenance worker accused of attempting to murder three colleagues at Central Middlesex Hospital in north London.
Bottarelli, 44, stands accused of inflicting serious injuries on three coworkers during the incident on June 21 last year. Trevor McGuire and Gideon Tesfay sustained significant head and neck injuries, while Bottarelli’s line manager, Mark Quigley, narrowly escaped unharmed.
The court heard that Bottarelli, fueled by heroin, wielded a scalpel to cut Mr Tesfay’s throat before brandishing a mattock—a pickaxe-like tool—to attack his colleagues. Dramatic CCTV footage shown to jurors captured the chilling moments as Bottarelli pursued Mr Tesfay through the hospital car park, wielding the weapon.
Prosecutor Sean Larkin described how Bottarelli, in a state of apparent aggression, confronted Mr. Tesfay in the hospital’s canteen area before assaulting him with the scalpel. The assault escalated as Bottarelli chased Mr. Tesfay through the car park, with the intent to cause further harm.
Mr McGuire also fell victim to Bottarelli’s violent spree, suffering multiple blows to the head with the mattock. Despite Mr. Quigley’s fortuitous escape, he recounted a chilling encounter with Bottarelli, who approached him with the mattock raised over his head before abruptly halting his attack.
The prosecution asserted that Bottarelli’s actions constituted attempted murder, emphasizing the severity of the assaults. Mr Larkin questioned Bottarelli’s intent, highlighting the premeditated nature of the attacks.
Following the rampage, Bottarelli retreated to his nearby home, where armed police later apprehended him, covered in blood with self-inflicted wounds to his neck. It was revealed that Bottarelli had admitted to consuming heroin earlier that day.
In addition to the mattock, authorities recovered a cache of knives and scalpels from Bottarelli’s residence.
Bottarelli, who pleaded guilty to wounding Mr. McGuire and Mr. Tesfay with intent, denies attempting to murder them and Mr. Quigley. The trial continues as jurors grapple with the gravity of the allegations against him.
