Attempted murder trial of man who stabbed girl in Leicester Square dropped
Pintaru was accused of approaching the girl as she left the Lego store, before placing her in a headlock and stabbing her eight times
The attempted murder trial of a man accused of stabbing an 11-year-old girl in Leicester Square will not go ahead, a court was told on Tuesday.
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The Australian child was on holiday with her 34-year-old mother when she was targeted by Ioan Pintaru in the busy West End Square in August last year.
Pintaru was accused of approaching the girl as she left the Lego store, before placing her in a headlock and stabbing her eight times.
Members of the public jumped to the girl’s aid and disarmed Pintaru before police arrived to arrest him.
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The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist and neck area.
Romanian national Pintaru, 33, of no fixed address, had previously pleaded guilty to wounding the girl with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and possession of a knife in Leicester Square.
He denied a charge of attempted murder and had been due to face trial at the Old Bailey on Monday.
However, at a briefing on Tuesday, Judge Richard Marks KC confirmed the attempted murder charge would “not be proceeded with”.
The judge set a sentencing date for December 16, which the victim’s family would be able to join by videolink from Australia.
No explanation was given in court for the reason for the decision not to go ahead with the trial.
The defendant, who is in a high-security hospital in Liverpool, was not required to attend.