A knifeman wounded three police officers during a “lethal and extremely violent” crime spree in west London, the Old Bailey heard today.

John Onyenaychi, 30, lashed out with the weapon and cut Pc Paul Madden’s throat as people watched in horror, jurors were told.

“That young policeman’s life was only saved by the quick thinking of a retired surgeon, response teams and hospital doctors,” said Brian Altman, prosecuting.

The attack on the three officers in Ealing on December 15 last year was the culmination of a five-day crime spree, he said.

Onyenaychi, of Wise Road, Stratford, east London, denies two counts of attempted murder, two wounding charges and robbery.

The judge told jurors Onyenaychi was not in the dock because he had chosen to stay in his cell.

Pc Madden, 23, and community support officers Piotr Dolata, 27, and Steven Constable were on duty in Ealing when Onyenaychi was stopped by bus ticket inspectors.

Mr Altman said: “In front of shocked Christmas shoppers, he savagely stabbed and cut the throat of Pc Paul Madden who was about to arrest him.

“He then stabbed PCSO Piotr Dolata who went to Constable Madden’s aid.

“He then slashed another PCSO, Steven Constable, who became involved in a violent struggle to stop Onyenaychi.

A number of officers were needed to restrain Onyenaychi who had not wanted to give up the retractable Stanley-type knife.

Mr Altman added: “This man is a highly dangerous individual who thinks nothing of carrying a knife on him, a tool of his trade, and uses it as a lethal weapon when he wishes to do so.”

He said PCSO Constable’s high-visibility jacket took the force of the attack on him, but the violence against the other two officers had been an attempt to kill them and had caused “terrible damage”.

Mr Altman said: “This defendant embarked on a crime spree of lethal and extreme violence.”

Four days earlier, Onyenaychi had allegedly had stabbed a man five times, causing serious wounds, in a minicab office in Brentford, west London, after a failed robbery.

Two days earlier, he had stolen a laptop from a man in Fulham, west London, after threatening him with a knife, the court heard.

Mr Altman said: “He threatened to kill the man unless he handed over the laptop. He boasted, ‘I do this for a living’.”

The trial continues.

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