Leicester Square stabbing: Man charged with attempted murder

A man has been charged with attempted murder after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in Leicester Square.

Ioan Pinatru, 32, of no fixed address, has also been charged with possession of a bladed article.

It was initially thought the girl’s mother had also been hurt, but it was later confirmed that blood from her daughter’s wounds had been mistaken for injuries of her own.

The girl was taken to hospital with injuries that are serious but not life-threatening, the Metropolitan Police said.

Mr Pinatru has been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later.

Police were called to Leicester Square in central London at 11.30 BST on Monday.

Det Ch Supt Christina Jessah paid tribute to the people “who bravely intervened in this incident”, saying: “They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so.”

She added investigators were working to establish the suspect’s motive and urged anyone who witnessed what happened or had any information to contact police.