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Hero Guard Tackles Knifeman Attacking Child
20 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Security guard bravely disarmed a knifeman stabbing an 11-year-old girl.
- The attacker was given a hospital order and can be detained indefinitely.
- The heroic guard received a £1,000 reward for his bravery.
A heroic security guard in London's busy Leicester Square intervened decisively when he heard screams from a child being attacked. Abdullah Tanoli, 30, heard what he described as "not normal screaming" and immediately rushed to the scene.
Mr. Tanoli found Ioan Pintaru, 33, stabbing an 11-year-old Australian tourist multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. The guard bravely tackled Pintaru, disarming him and allowing him to be subdued before police arrived. Pintaru was later sentenced to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act, allowing for indefinite detention.
For his courageous actions, Mr. Tanoli was commended by the judge and awarded £1,000. The young victim has physically recovered, though the court acknowledged lasting psychological trauma. Detective Constable Laura Nicoll praised the guard's selfless act, highlighting it as a display of the "best of London."
