Ioan Pintaru repeatedly stabbed a young Australian girl in a frenzied attack as she visited Leicester Square in London with her mum on holiday as bystanders rushed to help
A man who repeatedly stabbed an 11-year-old girl in a horrific attack at one of London’s busiest tourist hotspots has been sent to a high security mental health hospital.
33-year-old Ioan Pintaru, a Romanian national, launched the frenzied attack on the young Australian girl, who is now 13, as she visited London’s iconic Leicester Square with her mum in August last year. Terrifying footage showed Pintaru being tackled and disarmed by heroic bystanders after the attack before police arrived and detained him.
In October, Pintaru admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife. Now, he has been sentenced to indefinite detention in a high security mental health hospital by a judge at the Old Bailey.
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The court imposed a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act, along with a restriction order under Section 41, meaning Pintaru can be detained indefinitely. He previously denied attempted murder, but prosecutors chose not to pursue a trial after medical evidence showed his psychosis at the time of the attack meant an intent to kill could not be proven.
After the hearing, Metropolitan Police Detective Constable Laura Nicoll, who led the investigation, said: “The girl was leaving the Lego Store in Leicester Square with her mum after buying presents for her family, while visiting the city on holiday. This innocent scene was shattered when Ioan-Alexandru Pintaru violently stabbed her with a knife.
“It was a savage and brutal attack that left the city in shock. But following the most appalling scene, we also saw the best of London. A security guard who raced from his post without a thought for his own safety, and an off duty nurse who tended to the little girl’s wounds.
“Without them she might not be alive today. The guard was commended by the court and we would like to add to that our sincere admiration for his selfless act. This happened in the very heart of London, an area which is currently packed with tourists visiting over Christmas. We continue to work tirelessly to prevent further violence on our streets.”
The security guard who rused to the girl’s aide was 30-year-old Abdullah, who spoke about his actions that day. He said: “It was a purely selfless and instinctive response, driven by a sense of responsibility to help someone in danger. I’m grateful that this was acknowledged and that the child is safe.”
Pintaru grabbed the girl in a headlock while holding a knife before stabbing her repeatedly, leaving her with serious injuries to her eye, neck,. chest and shoulder. She was rushed to hospital for treatment.
In a witness statement read to the court, the girl’s mum said Pintaru attacked her daughter “like a jackhammer, repeatedly stabbing”. She added that he was “wide-eyed and manic like nothing was going to stop him.”
The attack was captured on CCTV, which police then used to secure charges against Pintaru. Abdullah heard the girl’s screams and ran from the doorway of the teashop where he was working, risking his own life as he tried to save the little girl’s. He grabbed hold of PIntaru’s arm, disarming him and kicking the knife out of reach.
Two other men then helped Abdullah detain the attacker until police arrived, while the injured girl was rushed into a nearby shop where a passing nurse gave her first aid. Police arrived at the scene of the attack within four minutes. There, Pintaru was arrested and later charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and claimed he believed people were trying to kill him, but said he did not intend to harm anyone.
