Woman arrested after four stabbed in London's popular Covent Garden

Lead

A woman has appeared in court charged with stabbing four men in London's Covent Garden district. Stella Gollovena, 47, of no fixed address, is accused of attacking the men with a pair of scissors on Wednesday lunchtime, according to The Guardian. She faces four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of possession of an offensive weapon, a charge stemming from the alleged use of a pair of scissors in a public place.

Coverage Comparison

Early reporting from multiple outlets, including France 24, the Jerusalem Post, and the South China Morning Post, said the incident was believed to be mental health-related, and that police had seized a pair of scissors at the scene. The Guardian's later court report, covering the same events, did not mention a mental health link but detailed the charges against Gollovena and the proceedings at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.

While most outlets said the four victims were men aged 34, 39, 42, and 52, The Guardian's court report gave the age of the eldest victim as 56. The discrepancy could not be immediately reconciled. The response from the London Ambulance Service was described in similar terms by multiple outlets, with The Hindu — World reporting that four patients were treated at the scene and taken to a nearby trauma centre.

Key Claims

• A 47-year-old woman was arrested after four men were stabbed in Covent Garden, central London. The incident took place on the morning of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, with police called to Endell Street at around 12:25-12:30 PM.
• The suspect, Stella Gollovena, has been charged with four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of possession of an offensive weapon (a pair of scissors). The charges were first reported by The Guardian.
• The victims, all men, had stab wounds to their backs. They were taken to hospital with injuries that were described as not life-threatening or life-changing, and have since been discharged. This was detailed in The Guardian's coverage.
• Police at the scene reported that the incident was believed to be mental health-related. This was stated in early reporting from France 24, the Jerusalem Post, and the South China Morning Post, each citing the Metropolitan Police. The Jerusalem Post quoted a police spokesperson as saying, "While at an early stage of the investigation, this is believed to be a mental health related incident."
• A pair of scissors was seized at the scene, as reported by France 24, the Jerusalem Post, and the South China Morning Post.
• The London Ambulance Service sent an air ambulance and multiple road crews to the scene. The air ambulance landed in Trafalgar Square, a detail that was reported by The Guardian and could also be seen in media images described by France 24.