Australian girl allegedly stabbed in London speaks out after horrifying attack

“It was all very scary, but it could have been way worse,” NSW mum Samantha said. 

The 11-year-old Australian girl who was allegedly stabbed while holidaying in London has spoken out about the horrifying attack for the first time. 

Laila Johnson and her mother, Samantha, returned to their Candelo home in NSW after what was supposed to be a girl’s trip in Europe, stopping by Paris to watch the Olympics, then to London, ready to watch the highly-anticipated London leg of Taylor Swift’s Era tour.

But on August 12 in Leicester Square, located in the city’s West End, the 11yo was allegedly attacked by a total stranger, who stabbed her eight times.

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Laila, 11, and her mother Samantha are back home. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I saw there was a guy, and he was stabbing a kid”

She and her mother were sightseeing in the busy tourist attraction when Ioan Pintaru, a 32-year-old man, approached the pair.

The 32yo allegedly put 11yo Laila in a headlock, stabbing her eight times to the face, shoulder, neck and wrist area in what is described as a “random attack”.

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Upon the attack, Samantha shielded her daughter from the alleged assailant. While initial reports stated the girl’s mother was also injured in the attack, police have since said the blood from her daughter’s wounds had been mistaken for her own injuries.

“It was all very scary,” mum Samantha told The Daily Telegraph. “But it could have been way worse.”

Standing nearby was 29-year-old shop guard Abdullah, who had just clocked on for his first shift on the job when he heard the “blood-curdling” scream coming from the 11yo. 

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Upon seeing the NSW mother shield her daughter from the attack, Abdullah tackled the knifeman and took the knife out of his hands. The Pakistani High Commission has since awarded him for his bravery during the attack. 

“I saw there was a guy, and he was stabbing a kid,” he recalled during the recognition ceremony. “I didn’t think anything; I just ran towards him, jumped on him, grabbed his hand with the knife and got him down on the floor.” 

“I kicked the knife away and held him down with a couple of other guys for four to five minutes, shouting for the police.” 

It’s understood the 32yo alleged attacker is a Romanian citizen with no fixed address. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder; the 32yo was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey court on September 10. 

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The 11yo is back to her regular programming, performing on stage in the school production of Alice in Wonderland. Picture: Daily Telegraph

“I had to get to the Taylor Swift concert!”

Following the attack, Laila was rushed to the hospital, where she was required to undergo plastic surgery for serious but not life-threatening injuries. 

But nothing was holding the 11yo back from her plans, so after only one night at the hospital, Laila was discharged and ready to take on the world again. 

She had plans, after all. 

“I had to get to the Taylor Swift concert,” she laughed. 

Joined by her two “favourite” police officers and her mum, Laila left the hospital with stitches in her face and neck, ready to watch her beloved Taylor Swift on stage. 

“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” her mum said. 

But a few stitches weren’t going to stop the 11yo from enjoying every second of the show. 

“It was amazing,” Laila recalled. “Some people organised for us to go into a VIP box, and there was food being served and a private toilet, which was very exciting.” 

The duo have since returned to their Candelo home, where the 11yo has wasted no time in getting back to her regular routine.

The schoolgirl, who loves to perform, is set to stand on stage as the lead role in her school's rendition of Alice in Wonderland. 

"Nothing will stop her," her mum said. "I was expecting her to crumble when she got home, but that didn’t happen." 

Originally published as Australian girl allegedly stabbed in London speaks out after horrifying attack