Hawzah News Agency (London - UK) - A man has admitted to stabbing a prayer leader in the neck during an unprovoked attack in a Central London mosque, smiling as he did so.

Daniel Horton pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article in a public place at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, October 12, and will be sentenced in November.

The stabbing took place on Thursday, February 20 at around 3pm, during afternoon prayers at London Central Mosque on Park Road.

The victim, in his 70s, was acting as a muezzin, whose responsibility it is to call all members of the mosque to prayer in the main prayer hall.

The victim had noticed Horton in the main prayer hall, and recognised his face as someone who often attends the mosque to pray.

When the second prayer was ending, the victim - who had been attending the mosque for about 25 years - felt a sharp smack to the right side of the neck, but wasn't aware at this stage that he had been stabbed.

He then saw blood on the floor so he stood-up, held his neck and made his way out of the main prayer hall. Many members of the mosque also realised this and rushed over to help him.

Other worshippers who were close by witnessed Horton raise his arm and stab the victim in the neck. These witnesses bravely detained the 30-year-old and called the police.

The victim was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, where his condition was assessed as non life-threatening.

He told officers he didn't know why he'd been attacked.

Police arrested Horton at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, and he told officers: “This is not a religious attack and is not a racist attack”.

Once in custody, Horton told a dedicated detention officer: “I don’t need a solicitor, I’m going to admit it.”

When this was put to him in interview he said: “I did this.”

He later said to the custody sergeant: “I had no intention of killing him. By the way I was standing I could easily have killed him, but I had no intention of that. This was to send a message to him and the others associated with him.”

During his police interview when asked about the above statement, Horton simply smiled and nodded but gave no reply. He then gave no comment to all the questions put to him.

When Horton was shown photographs of the victim’s injuries, he smiled.

Detective Constable Daniel Jones, the investigating officer, said: “This was a shocking and brutal unprovoked attack in a place of worship where the victim should’ve been safe.