Covent Garden stabbing: woman charged after four wounded

A 47-year-old woman has been charged after four men were stabbed in Covent Garden in central London with what police believe was a pair of scissors.

Stella Gollovena was charged on Thursday with four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Police said the Wednesday midday stabbing was thought to be an “isolated mental health-related incident” and that officers had seized a pair of scissors at the scene.

The four victims, aged 34 to 56, were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Police said they have since been discharged after their injuries were assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing.

Gollovena was in custody and was due to appear at Highbury Magistrates' Court in London later on Thursday.

Emergency services responded in Covent Garden, a tourist area known for shops, theatres and a market. Witnesses working in a nearby restaurant said police used tasers to arrest the woman, but police did not confirm that in their statements.