PICTURED: Australian lady, 11, stabbed in London’s Leicester Square
Am 11-year-old Australian girl who was stabbed in London‘s Leicester Square has spoken for the first time since the harrowing ordeal.
Laila Johnson was with her mum Samantha, 34, in the tourist hotspot on August 12 when she was attacked, allegedly by a homeless man.
The schoolgirl from Candelo near Bega on the NSW south coast, was left with injuries to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck after the ‘random attack’ with a steak knife.
Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put her in a headlock then began his frenzied attack and stabbed the girl eight times before he was restrained by members of the public then arrested by police.
Laila was rushed to hospital in a serious condition and underwent plastic surgery.
Police allege that Pintaru was not known to the girl or her mother.
Laila has since been released from hospital and went to see Taylor Swift live at Wembley on Tuesday, accompanied by two police officers.
Laila Johnson was with her mum Samantha, 34, in the tourist hotspot on August 12 when she was attacked, allegedly by a homeless man
Laila has since been released from hospital and attended a Taylor Swift concert on Tuesday
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Laila said: ‘I had to get to the Taylor Swift concert. It was amazing.’
Laila and her mum were visiting London after going to the Olympics in Paris to watch the Matildas.
They were window shopping in Leicester Square when the stabbing unfolded.
‘We just came out of the Lego store and she was jumped on and, yeah, did not see it coming and suspect anything, obviously,’ Ms Johnson told Seven News.
‘Did not see it coming, did not suspect anything.
‘It was all very scary,’ Mrs Johnson said. ‘But it could have been way worse.’
Laila paid tribute to the hospital staff who looked after her.
‘It was bad to meet them under those circumstances but they are some people I will remember forever,’ she said.
An aerial view of the police cordon at the scene in London’s Leicester Square on Monday
Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put the girl, 11, in a headlock before attacking her on Monday
Police officers stand in front of the cordoned-off area in London’s Leicester Square on Monday
Pintaru, of no fixed abode, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
He wore a grey prison-issue sweatshirt and the court heard he is a Romanian citizen.
The charges were read to him through an interpreter during the ten-minute hearing.
Pintaru was remanded in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on September 10.
He has a four-year-old child who lives in Manchester, but he is currently homeless.
David Burns, prosecuting, told the court that the mother and daughter were in Leicester Square as tourists.
He said the defendant ‘approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock’, adding: ‘He’s then stabbed her eight times to the body.
‘She sustained wounds to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area. Fortunately members of the public intervened, which prevented any further injury being made to the child.’
Mr Burns said officers were called and ‘found the defendant being held by the members of the public’.
The prosecutor added: ‘He was detained and searched and found a knife on his person.
‘In relation to the complainant – she was taken to hospital and she currently resides in hospital where she’s undergoing treatment.
‘I understand that she required plastic surgery for the injuries she sustained.’
District Judge Michael Snow described the incident as a ‘random attack on a child’.
Discarded clothing and emergency medical equipment in the TWG Tea shop on Monday
Police were seen detaining a man in Leicester Square after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed on Monday
A court artist’s sketch of Ioan Pintaru appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday
He told Pintaru: ‘These charges must be tried at the Central Criminal Court. You must remain in custody pending that appearance.’
Laila’s mum was initially thought to have also been hurt but blood from her daughter’s injuries was mistaken for injuries of her own, the Metropolitan Police said.
Detectives added that that there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related, and they do not believe the suspect and the victims were known to each other.
Leicester Square and the surrounding area attracts an estimated 2.5million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah said: ‘This is a horrific incident and our thoughts are with the victims and their family. We will continue to provide support to them over the coming days and weeks.
‘I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public, including staff from local businesses, who bravely intervened in this incident. They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so.
‘An urgent investigation is now ongoing and detectives are working to establish the details around exactly what happened.’
