LONDON (AA): A man who stabbed and injured the muezzin, a person who performs call to prayer, in a London mosque last February has been jailed for more than 11 years in prison on Monday.

“Daniel Horton, 30, of no fixed address, was sentenced today, Monday, 14 December, to 11 years and three months imprisonment,” a statement from Metropolitan Police said.

Horton had stabbed muezzin Raafat Maglad in the neck during a prayer in London Central Mosque, near Regents Park and he “pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article in a public place.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had described the event as “awful”.

“It’s so awful that this should happen, especially in a place of worship. My thoughts are with the victim and all those affected,” he had written on Twitter.

“This was a shocking and brutal unprovoked attack in a place of worship where the victim should have been safe,” Detective Constable Daniel Jones, the investigating officer from Central West CID, said.

“Today’s sentence highlights the callousness of this attack on an unsuspecting victim.”

He said: “Horton had the audacity to smile when he was shown images of his victim’s injuries, not showing any remorse for his heinous actions.

“I’m therefore pleased that Horton has been jailed for considerable length of time for his actions.”

Jones said: “I’d like to thank the worshippers who heroically detained Horton on that day, which possibly prevented him from causing further harm. I’d also like to thank the victim for his courage and cooperation throughout the investigation.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[Photo: London Central Mosque. Photo by Flickr/Creative Commons]