Man who decapitated woman (82) remains in hospital under guard

A knife attacker who decapitated 82-year-old grandmother on Thursday after killing a pet cat remains in hospital under police guard as officers wait to question him.

The 25-year-old murdered Palmira Silva in Edmonton, north London, after going on the rampage through back gardens shouting about cats.

Police were forced to stage a dramatic evacuation operation to save neighbours, and an armed squad Tasered the assailant as he struggled against officers, leaving one with a broken wrist.

Yesterday staff in shops near the cafe the Italian pensioner ran were shocked by news of her death.

Silva’s Cafe in Church Street, near Edmonton Green station, was shuttered up.

Dilek Solma (19), working in a fruit and vegetable shop next door, said: “I’m so upset. She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face and loved the community. If somebody dropped something in here, she would help pick it up. Although she was 82 she was younger than me.”

The house in the busy street where Ms Silva’s body was found was the scene of a major police operation that continued into the night.

A local resident described seeing a man brandishing a machete and shouting about cats. He also saw a headless cat as he watched the drama from his window: “There was a scream so I went to the windows and saw a guy with a machete with blood dripping from it. We saw a cat on the floor without a head.

“He was standing in the garden and walking up and down shouting about cats.”– (PA)