Man sentenced for stabbing girl, 11, in Leicester Square

A man who was arrested by Met Police officers within just four minutes of stabbing an 11-year-old girl in Leicester Square has been sentenced.

Ioan-Alexandru Pintaru, 33 (17.01.1992) of no fixed address, was tackled and disarmed by brave bystanders following the horrific attack, before officers swiftly arrived and detained him.

He was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article after pleading guilty to both counts on Friday, 3 October.

At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 16 December he was sentenced to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act with an additional restriction order under Section 41. This means he could potentially be detained indefinitely.

Detective Constable Laura Nicoll, of the Met’s specialist crime team, 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 of his own safety, the 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.”

Speaking about his actions, the security guard, Abdullah, 30, 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."

The girl, an Australian tourist, was leaving the toy shop with her mother at 11.30hrs on Monday, 12 August 2024 when she was suddenly and randomly attacked by Pintaru.

Brandishing a knife, he stabbed her as he held her in a headlock – leaving her with injuries to her eye, neck, chest and shoulder. She was taken to hospital where she received treatment.

In a witness statement read out in court, the mother 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 used to secure the charge against him.

A security guard heard the girl scream and ran from the doorway of a teashop he was working at – risking his life as he attempted to save hers.

He bravely grabbed Pintaru’s hand and managed to disarm him, kicking the knife out of his reach. He and two other men detained the attacker as police rushed to the scene.

The girl was taken into a nearby shop where a passing nurse tended to her wounds.

Police were called at 11.34hrs and were at the scene within four minutes. Pintaru was arrested at the scene and later the same day charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

Pintaru, who was later diagnosed as schizophrenic, claimed that he believed people were trying to kill him but said he did not intend to harm anyone.