A man has been charged after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in central London.
Ioan Pintaru, 32, was charged with attempted murder and possession of a sharp article less than a day after the girl was injured in an attack in Leicester Square.
Initial reports suggested the girl’s 34-year-old mother was also stabbed in the incident, but police confirmed her daughter’s blood was mistaken for her own injuries.
Officers were called to the scene at 11.34am on Monday following reports of a stabbing.
The girl was found with stab wounds and taken to hospital, where her injuries were assessed as serious but not life-threatening.
Pintaru, who has no fixed address, was remanded in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Tuesday.
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A store security guard described how he “heard a scream” and “jumped” on a man attacking the child before holding him down and taking the knife away from him.
“I just saw a child being stabbed and I tried to save him. It’s my duty to simply save them,” said Abdullah, 29.
He said he and his colleagues gave the child first aid before police arrived four minutes after the attack on Monday morning.
Police praised the bravery of those who intervened to help.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story