UK authorities have dropped an attempted murder trial against a man who stabbed an Australian girl in a random attack in London last year.
Ioan-Alexandru Pintaru, 33, previously pleaded guilty to wounding with intent over the incident in Leicester Square which saw him stab an 11-year-old girl eight times all over the body.
The girl, on holiday at the time with her mother, was visiting a TWG Tea store in the tourist area when Pintaru approached her.
Prosecutors had said the 33-year-old Romanian national placed her into a headlock before stabbing her eight times to the body.
The girl, from New South Wales, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and received plastic surgery in London soon after the August 12 attack.
Pintaru was due to stand trial this week but prosecutors on Tuesday said psychiatric evaluations had determined he could not be charged with attempted murder given his mental state at the time.
"Our thoughts remain with the victim and family affected by the horrendous actions of Ioan Pintaru — who remains criminally responsible and will be sentenced accordingly," a spokesperson for the UK's Crown Prosecution Service said.
"The decision to accept a guilty plea to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was taken after carefully reviewing evidence provided by two separate expert psychiatrists. The impact of the expert evidence meant that we could not prove that Pintaru specifically intended to kill, which is an essential element of an attempted murder offence.
"We explained our decision to the family in detail and will continue to assist and support them."
Pintaru was said to have been suffering from a psychotic condition at the time, which may have impaired his ability to form a judgement about killing as opposed to causing harm.
He had previously pleaded to having an article or blade.
The 33-year-old of no fixed address is set to be sentenced at London's Central Criminal Court, or the Old Bailey, on December 17.
