Health update on Australian girl stabbed in London

There has been an update on the 11-year-old Australian girl who was allegedly stabbed eight times by a homeless man in London.

An Australian girl allegedly stabbed eight times by a homeless man while on holiday with her family in London has been released from hospital.

The 11-year-old, from NSW, sustained injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist and neck, in what police believe was a “random attack” with a knife at popular tourist spot Leicester Square on Monday at 11.30am local time.

Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put the girl in a headlock in the attack, before he was restrained by members of the public, and eventually arrested by police.

The girl was taken to hospital in a serious condition. She underwent plastic surgery and has since been released, ABC News reported on Thursday.

The girl’s family are receiving consular assistance.

A police officer at the scene at Leicester Square. Picture: Getty

Pintaru, a Romanian citizen of no fixed address, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, charged with attempted murder and possession of a blade.

He was remanded in custody, to appear in court again on September 10.

Pintaru allegedly “approached the girl, placed her into a headlock, he’s then stabbed her eight times to the body”, prosecutor David Burns told the court.

Pintaru was detained by members of the public and was found with a steak knife, the court was told.

Police said there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related, and they do not believe the suspect and the alleged victims were known to each other.

The attack came two weeks after three girls were allegedly murdered at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport, northwest England.

The deaths sparked widespread riots across the country that police have since quelled.