Homeless man allegedly attempted to murder 11-year-old Australian girl who was in London with her mother to watch Taylor Swift's court date

A homeless man accused of attempting to murder an 11-year-old Australian girl in Leicester Square by putting her in a headlock and stabbing her eight times has appeared in court.

Romanian Ioan Pintaru, 32, is accused of stabbing the tourist, who was on a dream trip to the UK with her mother to see Taylor Swift perform at Wembley.

He appeared at the Old Bailey today charged with attempted murder and possession of a knife article in a public place.

Pintaru did not enter a plea, but Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, set a provisional trial date for May 6.

The homeless man is a Romanian citizen and has a four-year-old child who lives in Manchester.

A police officer stands near a cordoned off area following a stabbing in Leicester Square on August 12, 2024

A forensic artist's sketch of Ioan Pintaru during his appearance before Westminster Magistrates' Court on 13 August

Police officers stand in front of the cordoned off area at London's Leicester Square yesterday

No Romanian interpreter was booked for the hearing, but Pintaru was able to confirm his name and date of birth.

Pintaru will appear for another case management hearing on January 17.

Police were called to an attack at 11:34 a.m. on August 12 after citizens attacked Pintaru.

Pintaru allegedly held the girl in a headlock while stabbing her in the face, shoulder and neck.

The girl suffered numerous stab wounds and was taken to hospital with “serious but not life-threatening injuries.”

At first it was feared that the girl's mother had also been stabbed, but it turned out that she was stained with her daughter's blood.

The girl and her mother were able to visit Taylor Swift after the attack before they left the UK.