A security guard in London has been recognized for his bravery after disarming a knifeman who attacked an 11-year-old Australian girl in Leicester Square. On the morning of August 12, 1994, Abdullah Tanoli, 30, intervened as the girl was stabbed multiple times while on holiday with her mother. His quick actions ultimately saved her life.
Tanoli, who was working at a shop in the busy central London area, heard the girl’s distressing screams. “You know when a child is just crying, but when someone is being hurt, that scream is different,” he later recounted to the BBC. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described her fear during the incident, believing she would not survive the attack.
Ioan Pintaru, 33, approached the girl as she left a Lego store and placed her in a headlock, stabbing her eight times in the face, neck, and chest. Tanoli, upon witnessing the brutal assault, acted instinctively. “At that moment, the only thing in my mind was to save the child,” he stated.
He successfully grabbed Pintaru’s wrist, causing the knife to drop to the ground. With the help of two other men, Tanoli restrained the attacker until police arrived a few minutes later. A nurse passing by also assisted, applying pressure to the girl’s wounds to help stop the bleeding.
On Tuesday, the Old Bailey sentenced Pintaru to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act, along with a restriction order under Section 41. This ruling allows for his indefinite detention due to the severity of his actions. During the sentencing, Judge Richard Marks KC praised Tanoli’s courage, awarding him £1,000 (approximately $2,000 AUDHeidi Stonecliffe that she carries “invisible scars.” The psychological impact of the attack is expected to last a lifetime. Detective Constable Laura Nicoll, who led the investigation for the Metropolitan Police’s specialist crime team, described the incident as a “savage and brutal attack that left the city in shock.”
She highlighted the commendable actions of Tanoli and the nurse, stating, “Without them, she might not be alive today.” Their bravery reflects the resilience and compassion present in London, even in the face of violence.
