Aberfan: Daniel Popescu in court on attempted murder charge

A man has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of a 29-year-old pregnant woman.

Daniel Mihai Popescu, 28, of no fixed address, was arrested after Andreea Pintili was stabbed on Coronation Place, Aberfan, on Tuesday.

She was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.

Mr Popescu did not enter a plea at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody to appear at the town's crown court on 4 January.

Mr Popescu has also been charged with stalking and witness intimidation.

He is accused of trying to intimidate Ms Pintili, knowing or believing that she was a witness, by attacking her, intending "to cause the course of justice to be obstructed, perverted or interfered with".

Mr Popescu is accused of stalking Ms Pintili between 25 October and 6 December by following her, calling her from withheld numbers and recording a video of her which he uploaded to TikTok.

During the short hearing Mr Popescu, wearing a grey sweatshirt, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and that he was of no fixed abode.

District Judge Neale Thomas said the attempted murder charge was so serious that it could only be dealt with at the crown court, and that it "makes sense" for the other two charges to be heard at the same time.

Armed officers from South Wales Police were called out after Ms Pintili was stabbed at about 09:10 GMT on Tuesday.

Ms Pintili, who witnesses said was pregnant, was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for treatment and later discharged.

Several schools in Aberfan were placed in precautionary lockdown following the stabbing while armed police hunted for a suspect.