Male arrested in London stabbing identified, charged with attempted murder

The male who was arrested in connection with Monday's stabbing at London's Leicester Square has been charged with attempted murder.

Ioan Pintaru, 32 — a Romanian citizen with no fixed address — appeared at Westminster magistrates court Tuesday and also was charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place, the Guardian reported, adding that the weapon was a steak knife.

Police warned the media and the public that 'nothing should be published, including on social media, which could prejudice future court proceedings.'

A Sky News video report includes images of Pintaru.

Prosecutor David Burns said the defendant “approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock ... then stabbed her eight times to the body," the paper said, adding that the victim was visiting the area as a tourist with her mother.

Burns added that the girl "sustained wounds to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area. Fortunately members of the public intervened, which prevented any further injury to the child,” the Guardian noted.

The paper also said the girl’s 34-year-old mother initially was thought to have been wounded as well, but blood on the mother actually was from her daughter's wounds, police said Tuesday.

The girl was taken to a hospital, and Burns noted that she "required plastic surgery for the injuries she sustained,” the Guardian said.

Police said Monday there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related, and authorities don't believe the defendant and the girl and her mother know each other, the paper noted.

Pintaru will appear in the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales on Sept. 10, the Guardian said.

Police warned the media and the public that "nothing should be published, including on social media, which could prejudice future court proceedings." As readers of Blaze News know, the commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police recently said "we will come after you" — even if you live in another country — if you post material online about the rioting in England that officials define as inciting racial hatred.

Just two weeks ago, a 17-year-old male was accused of killing three and injuring numerous other victims in a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed children's dance class in U.K. seaside town of Southport.

Officials initially said there was no evidence that terrorism was a motive in the Southport knife attack, which angered many who accused the government of covering up evidence. Police identified suspect Axel Rudakubana and charged him with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. Officials identified him as being from Cardiff but also noted that his parents are Rwandan. Unrest and violence erupted the day after the stabbings and soon spread across the United Kingdom.

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