Leicester Square stabbing: Man, 32, charged with attempted murder after 11-year-old stabbed in London
A man has been charged with an attempted murder after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed at busy Leicester Square on Monday afternoon.
Ioan Pintaru, aged 32, of no fixed address was also charged with possession of a bladed article, which the court heard was a steak knife.
The court also heard Pintaru is a Romanian citizen and the charges were read to him through an interpreter during the 10-minute hearing.
Prosecutor David Burns said a woman and her 11-year-old daughter were in Leicester Square as tourists when the defendant “approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock, he’s then stabbed her eight times to the body”.
He added: “She sustained wounds to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area. Fortunately members of the public intervened, which prevented any further injury being made to the child.”
Mr Burns said officers were called and “found the defendant being held by the members of the public”. The prosecutor added: “He was detained and searched and found a knife on his person.
“In relation to the complainant – she was taken to hospital and she currently resides in hospital where she’s undergoing treatment. I understand that she required plastic surgery for the injuries she sustained.”
Police were called to reports of the stabbing in the central London tourist spot at 11.34am on Monday. The girl’s 34-year-old mother was initially thought to have also been hurt but blood from her daughter’s injuries had been mistaken for injuries of her own, the Metropolitan Police said.
Her daughter was taken to hospital with serious injuries that are not life-threatening, the force added. Police said on Monday that there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related, and officers do not believe the suspect and the victims were known to each other.
Leicester Square and the surrounding area attracts an estimated 2.5 million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants.
The stabbing happened near the TWG Tea shop, which is beside the Lego store and in front of the M&Ms store. A security guard has been praised for his bravery after he disarmed the knifeman during the terrifying attack.