A Romanian man who carried out a shocking knife attack on an 11-year-old girl in London’s Leicester Square will no longer face trial for attempted murder after prosecutors dropped the charge.
Ioan Pintaru, 33, was accused of attacking the Australian child as she left the Lego store in London’s bustling West End on the morning of August 12, 2023. The young girl, who was visiting the U.K. with her 34-year-old mother, was placed in a headlock and stabbed eight times in a terrifying, random assault.
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Witnesses and a nearby security guard rushed to help, tackling Pintaru to the ground and restraining him until police arrived. The child was rushed to hospital with injuries to her face, wrist, shoulder, and neck, but fortunately survived the ordeal.
Pintaru, who has no fixed address, previously admitted to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife, but denied the charge of attempted murder.
During a brief hearing at the Old Bailey, Judge Richard Marks KC confirmed that prosecutors would not proceed with the attempted murder charge. The decision followed expert psychiatric assessments which concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove Pintaru intended to kill.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said:
“Our thoughts remain with the victim and her family following the horrendous actions of Ioan Pintaru. After careful review of psychiatric evidence, we accepted a plea to wounding with intent as we could not prove the intent to kill required for attempted murder.”
Pintaru is currently being held at a high-security hospital in Liverpool and did not appear in court. His sentencing has been scheduled for December 16, with the victim’s family expected to attend remotely from Australia.
The attack, which took place in one of London’s busiest tourist areas, left both locals and visitors deeply shaken, sparking renewed concern over knife violence in public spaces.