An 11-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a stabbing attack in central London has spoken about how she was on her dream holiday when tragedy struck.
Laila Johnson and her mother Samantha Johnson, 34, from Candelo in regional New South Wales were sightseeing when they were allegedly approached by Ioan Pintaru, 32, in Leicester Square about 11.30am on August 12.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Australian victim of London stabbing attack speaks.
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The schoolgirl was stabbed eight times in what has been described as a “random attack”.
“We just came out of the Lego store and she was jumped on and, yeah, did not see it coming and suspect anything, obviously,” Samantha Johnson said.
“Did not see it coming, did not suspect anything.”
Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist and neck.
Laila said she wanted to thank all the hospital staff for “making her feel more safe”.
“It was bad to meet them under those circumstances but they are some people I will remember forever,” she said.
The attack came while the mother and daughter were on a “dream” holiday to see Taylor Swift.
They had also watched the Matildas play the USA at the Olympics.
After a week of recovery, Laila still got the chance to see the superstar with the help of Australian consular officials before she returned home to Australia on Sunday.
Johnson said her daughter had been “incredible”.
“She’s the most optimistic kid you could meet, she’s super bouncy,” she said.
“She’s ready to get back to normal.”
Pintaru — a Romanian citizen of no fixed address — fronted Westminster Magistrates Court last week charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
He wore a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
The court heard members of the public intervened in the incident and when police arrived they found a man being held on the ground.
There was no suggestion the attack was terrorism-related, police said. The accused and the victims are also not thought to be known to each other.
A steak knife was recovered from the scene.
Pintaru was not asked to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing at the Old Bailey on September 10.
Leicester Square is a tourist hot spot in central London.
The area attracts an estimated 2.5 million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants.
— With PA and Reuters