London stabbing victim's incredible bond with hero security guard
The identity of the NSW schoolgirl who was stabbed in a random attack in London’s Leicester Square has been revealed.
Laila Johnson, 11, and her mum Samantha, 34, from Candelo NSW, were on holiday when the horrific incident occurred on August 12.
Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, immediately jumped into action and saved her life by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived.
“I saw outside there was a guy who was stabbing a girl, so as I saw him stabbing the girl, I started to run towards the guy,” he said shortly after the attack.
“I jumped on the guy and grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife. I tackled him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.
“There was only one thought — to save the kid and save her mum, nothing else.”
Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck and was out of hospital the day after the incident.
On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on Sunrise and paid tribute to Abdullah.
“He is an absolutely gorgeous human,” mother Sam, said.
“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact.
“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time.”
Sam recalled the moment Abdullah saved her daughter's life.
“He didn’t hesitate. He’s exactly who you want around in a time like that,” she said.
She also praised daughter Laila for her optimism, and the day after the incident, the pair were escorted to Wembley Stadium, with the two police officers who came to her aid last week, where she sat in a VIP box to watch her favourite superstar, Taylor Swift.
“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” Laila’s mum told The Daily Telegraph.
“She has always been the most optimistic and determined child in the world. Yeah, I was a bit worried that that might stop her from Taylor Swift, but I shouldn’t have worried,” Sam said on Sunrise.
Laila is now back at school and will be he lead in the school's performance of Alice in Wonderland.
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 was asked not to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.
Images: Seven