Cambridgeshire train stabbing suspect remanded in custody over attack | BBC News

Key Concepts

• Anthony Williams: Suspect charged with 11 counts of attempted murder.
• Train Attack: Incident on a London Northeastern Railway train in Cambridge on Saturday evening.
• Peterborough: Location where the suspect was seen the evening before the attack and where three knife-related incidents occurred on Friday and Saturday.
• Huntingdon Station: Where the train made an emergency stop.
• Steven Green: Passenger injured in the attack who recounted his experience.
• Merlin Thomas: BBC Verify correspondent who pieced together the timeline of events.
• Coach J & Coach G: Specific carriages on the train involved in the incident.
• Buffet Carriage/Cafe Bar: Area where passengers attempted to hide and barricade themselves.
• Emergency Services: Police, British Transport Police, and ambulance services.
• Taser: Device used to detain the suspect.
• Attempted Murder: The charge brought against Anthony Williams.

Summary of Events and Investigation

Suspect and Charges

The BBC has obtained an image of Anthony Williams in a barber shop in Peterborough the evening before the alleged train attack. Williams has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder following a knife attack on a train in Cambridge on Saturday evening, and a separate incident in London hours prior. Cambridge police are investigating whether three knife-related incidents in Peterborough on Friday and Saturday are connected to the train attack.

Passenger Account: Steven Green

Steven Green, one of the passengers injured in the Saturday attack, described his harrowing experience to the BBC. He recounted confronting the attacker to allow other passengers to hide in the buffet carriage. Green stated that after a girl and lady ran past him shouting about a man with a knife, he saw the attacker approaching with a "big, big rucksack." The attacker then pulled out an "overlar blade thing," which Green described as a "big juicy knife," possibly a saw-like blade. During a struggle, Green was slashed on his head and hand, sustaining cuts through his fingers requiring potential surgery.

Timeline of the Train Attack

Merlin Thomas from BBC Verify has pieced together the events of Saturday evening:

• 6:25 p.m.: The London Northeastern Railway train was scheduled to depart Doncaster for King's Cross.
• 7:29 p.m.: The train departed Peterborough station. The attacker boarded Coach J. Eyewitnesses report that the attacker stabbed someone in this coach.
• Passenger Flight and Barricade: Passengers fled from Coach J down the train towards Coach G, which housed a cafe bar. Passengers barricaded themselves inside the cafe bar, closing the door, locking it, and lowering the shutters. Footage shows individuals inside the cafe bar making calls to emergency services.
• Eyewitness Reports: Eyewitnesses reported seeing people covered in blood moving through the carriages.
• 7:41 p.m.: The train made an unplanned emergency stop at Huntingdon Station after an emergency alarm was pulled on board. Emergency services, including British Transport Police, arrived quickly. Passengers were seen escaping the train.
• Suspect Apprehension: Footage shows the attacker jumping a station fence into the car park with a knife in hand. He was subsequently tasered and detained by police.
• 7:50 p.m.: British Transport Police confirmed that two men were in custody. One man was later released, with police confirming he was not involved.

Investigation and Aftermath

• Injuries: 11 people were treated in hospital following the attack.
• Police Referral: The Cambridge Air Force has referred itself to the police watchdog.
• Charges: Anthony Williams has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder.

Conclusion

The incident on the London Northeastern Railway train involved a violent knife attack by Anthony Williams, who has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder. The attack, which occurred on Saturday evening, saw passengers attempting to flee and barricade themselves in a cafe carriage. The train was diverted to Huntingdon Station where emergency services apprehended the suspect. Investigations are ongoing to determine if prior incidents in Peterborough are linked to the train attack. The bravery of passengers like Steven Green and the swift response of emergency services were crucial in managing the situation.