A man has appeared in court charged with trying to murder a woman in a South Wales village.

Daniel Mihai Popescu, 28, also faces charges of stalking and witness intimidation after the alleged attack in Coronation Place, Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil, on Tuesday.

Armed officers from South Wales Police were called out after a 29-year-old woman, named in court as Andreea Pintili, was stabbed at about 9.10am.

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

Charges allege that Popescu, of no fixed address, tried to murder Ms Pintilli in Coronation Place, Aberfan, on December 5.

He allegedly tried to intimidate her, 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”, on the same date.

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

The defendant, wearing a grey sweatshirt, was tearful as he appeared before Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning, assisted by a translator.

He did not enter a plea.

District Judge Neale Thomas told Popescu: “The first of the allegations that you face is an allegation that can only be dealt with at the crown court.

“It makes sense for the other two allegations to go to the crown court as well. I am therefore going to transfer these cases to the crown court.

“The next hearing date will be January 4. This is not a suitable case for bail.”

The judge asked if Popescu understood what he had said, with the defendant saying he did.

Gregory Lloyd appeared for the prosecution during the hearing, while Matthew Thomas represented Popescu.

Mr Thomas told the court: “There is no application for bail.”

Schools and a community centre were closed as a precaution after Ms Pintili was attacked.

Police arrested the defendant shortly before 4pm the same day.

On Wednesday evening, police and prosecutors said Popescu had been charged with three offences.

Popescu will next appear before Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on January 4.