Leona Lewis Attacker Charged

By Michael Y. Park

Thursday October 15, 2009 03:00 PM EDT

Leona Lewis

Shawn Ehlers/WireImage

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A 29-year-old "fan" was charged Thursday with assault and placed in an area for prisoners with mental-health issues after punching singer Leona Lewis at a book signing in London Wednesday, police say.

Peter Kowalczyk 29, allegedly punched Lewis, 24, in the head as she was signing copies of her autobiography, Dreams, at a bookstore in London's Piccadilly area. The south London resident will appear in court on Oct. 26.

RELATED: Leona 'Hurt and Upset' Following Attack

"A guy came up and punched her to the side of the head," the pop star's spokesman told the BBC. A source described her as "okay" but "bruised."

On Thursday, Lewis, who didn't require hospitalization, wrote about the bizarre incident on her Web site.

"Yesterday was a horrible shock and left me extremely hurt and upset," she wrote. "I'm very sorry to those I wasn't able to meet at the signing."

Lewis had been scheduled to appear on a BBC program that night, but pulled out after the incident.

Attacker wrestled to the ground after allegedly punching Lewis

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