The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed that an 11-year-old Australian girl was stabbed in Leicester Square, London, on Monday. The family is understood to be from New South Wales.
London’s Metropolitan Police reported that the girl sustained serious injuries, though they are not life-threatening. She has since been discharged from the hospital. Initially, it was believed that her 34-year-old mother was also injured, but police clarified that the blood on her was from her daughter’s wounds.
A 32-year-old man, Ioan Pintaru, appeared in court on Tuesday, charged with attempted murder. Prosecutor David Burns stated that the girl and her mother were tourists in the Leicester Square area just before the “random attack on a child.” Pintaru allegedly placed the girl in a headlock and stabbed her eight times. He was remanded in custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for September 10 at the Old Bailey.
DFAT has confirmed that consular assistance is being provided to the family. UK police have stated that the attack is not believed to be terror-related.