Alleged Golders Green knife attacker denies attempted murder

A man accused of stabbing two Jewish men in the street in Golders Green has denied attempted murder.

Essa Suleiman, 45, allegedly targeted Shloime Rand, 34, and Norman Shine, 76, during a knife rampage in north London on Wednesday April 29.

Before setting off for Golders Green, he also allegedly attacked his friend of 20 years Ishmail Hussein at his home in Southwark , south London.

The Somalia -born defendant was charged with three counts of attempted murder and possessing a black-handled knife in a public place.

He appeared at the Old Bailey via CVP link on Friday and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

The defendant is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey from March 1 2027.

The court previously heard that on the day of the incident, the defendant attended the home address of his friend Mr Hussein and attacked him with a knife.

He is accused of then making his way by public transport to the Golders Green area, where he allegedly set about attacking two people.

Deanna Heer KC told the earlier hearing that both victims were “obviously members of the orthodox Jewish community by the way they were dressed at the time”.

Mr Rand, 34, had been studying at a synagogue in Highfield Avenue when he was allegedly attacked by the defendant who came towards him and stabbed him once to the chest.

Suleiman is then accused of attacking Mr Shine, 76, who was said to have sustained a number of stab wounds which caused him to be taken to hospital.

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The court was told that the incident came to an end when another member of public intervened to try to disarm the defendant and take the knife from him.