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October 29, 2025 — 11.25am
A homeless Romanian who repeatedly stabbed an 11-year-old Australian tourist in a random attack in Leicester Square will not face trial for attempted murder.
Ioan Pintaru, 33, held the Australian tourist in a headlock and stabbed her eight times, the Old Bailey heard.
Ioan Pintaru was arrested after allegedly stabbing an 11-year-old Australian girl in London’s Leicester Square.Credit: Facebook
The girl was in the United Kingdom on a trip with her mother to see Taylor Swift perform at Wembley in August last year.
Pintaru, who is detained at Ashworth High Secure Hospital near Liverpool, had admitted to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article but denied attempted murder.
He was due to stand trial this week but Judge Richard Marks, KC, the Common Serjeant of London, said the attempted murder charge would not be proceeded with.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the charge was dropped after psychiatrists agreed that Pintaru was suffering from a psychotic illness, possibly paranoid schizophrenia, at the time of the offence.
The psychiatrists said this would have impaired his ability to form a rational judgment or understand his own conduct.
A CPS spokesman said: “Our thoughts remain with the victim and family affected by the horrendous actions of Ioan Pintaru, who remains criminally responsible and will be sentenced accordingly.
“The decision to accept a guilty plea to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was taken after carefully reviewing evidence provided by two separate expert psychiatrists.
An 11-year-old Australian girl was the victim of an alleged stabbing in London’s Leicester Square.Credit: AP
“The impact of the expert evidence meant that we could not prove that Pintaru specifically intended to kill, which is an essential element of an attempted murder offence.
“We explained our decision to the family in detail and will continue to assist and support them.”
Pintaru did not appear in court on Tuesday but he will attend when he is sentenced on December 16.
The victim’s mother will attend via a video-link from Australia.
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Police were called at 11.34am on August 12, 2024, to reports of an attack after members of the public tackled Pintaru.
The girl suffered injuries to her head, shoulder and neck and was taken to hospital with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries” after being attacked as she left the Lego store.
It was feared that the girl’s mother had also been stabbed, but it emerged that she was stained with her daughter’s blood.
The girl and her mother still saw Swift’s Eras Tour after the attack and were given seats in a VIP box.
They had come to London after going to Paris to watch the Australian women’s football team in the Olympics.
Telegraph, London
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