Police are treating the stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough as one of three knife-related incidents in the city believed to be linked to the Huntingdon train stabbings suspect.
Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article following the attacks on the LNER service to London King’s Cross on Saturday evening.
He is also charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection to an incident on a train at Pontoon Dock DLR station in east London in the early hours of the same day.
However, Cambridgeshire Police have said they are aware of three incidents; one man with a knife at a barbers in Fletton on Friday, another on Saturday again by the barbers in Fletton and a third where a 14-year-old was stabbed by a man with a knife in the city centre.
Williams wore a grey tracksuit and wore handcuffs as he stood flanked by four security officers in the dock at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday. He was remanded in custody until a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.
Five victims have now been discharged from hospital, while a “heroic” railway worker remains in hospital fighting for his life.
A 35-year-old man from London who was also arrested at the scene at Huntingdon railway station has been released with no further action. The British Transport Police also ruled out the motivation of terrorism.
Read More
Key Points
- Police name Anthony Williams as man charged with stabbing attack
- Man charged also accused of separate London attack earlier that day
- Williams remanded in custody at court
- Injured train staff member 'critical but stable'
- Suspect was not known to counter-terror police
- Police says three knife-related incidents linked to the Huntingdon train attack suspect
Pictured: Train stabbing attack suspect
16:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The train stabbing suspect has now been pictured.
Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article following the attacks on the LNER service to London King’s Cross on Saturday evening.
Why security cannot be meaningfully improved on trains
15:45
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder reports...
“Passengers will see a high-visibility presence of officers at stations and on trains throughout today who are there to reassure the public.”
So said the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, the day after a marauder armed with a knife attacked passengers and crew on an LNER train from Yorkshire to London.
I checked several terminals in the capital on Sunday. British Transport Police and “Station Response Officers” were, indeed, much in evidence, augmented by the Metropolitan. You can expect the heightened visibility to continue until approximately Tuesday. These staff have been drafted from other duties and will very soon return to those obligations. There is no secret force of police waiting to step up to the platform.
What are the three additional knife-related incidents police are investigating?
15:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
The stabbing of a 14-year-old boy and two reports of a knifeman seen at a barbers in Peterborough are being investigated as part of the police probe into a mass stabbing on a high speed train.
Cambridgeshire police said that the teenager was non-fatally injured at 7.10pm on Friday, before a man with a knife was seen at a barbers in Fletton 15 minutes later, although this was only reported to police two hours later.
A second report of a knifeman was made at 9.25am the following morning when he was still at the scene, but when police arrived 18 minutes later they could not find him.
Watch: Former BTP chief constable hopes a broader review will begin on train safety after Huntingdon attack
15:15
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: What we know about the attack
15:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
- The attack began shortly after the London-bound train left Peterborough on Saturday night, causing panic as passengers fled through carriages or barricaded themselves in toilets.
- Eleven people were hospitalised after the attack. One, a member of LNER staff who tried to stop the attack, remains in a ‘critical but stable’ condition, while five others have since been discharged.
- Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with ten counts of attempted murder
- He appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.
- Huntingdon station itself remains closed, but the rail line has reopened and trains are able to pass through on their way to London
- A 35-year-old man from London who was also arrested at the scene has been released with no further action.
- Police are understood to be investigating all circumstances, including whether mental health was a factor, but it is not believed to have been a terrorist incident.
- Separately, Williams is charged with one count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article over an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London in the early hours of Saturday, where a victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife.
- A 14-year-old boy was stabbed in Peterborough on Friday which was one of three knife-related incidents in the city believed to be linked to the Huntingdon train stabbings suspect, Cambridgeshire Police said.
It’s not just on Britain’s trains that I no longer feel safe
14:45
,
Rebecca Whittaker
On the same evening as the Huntingdon train knife attack, I watched a group of kids at a major railway station chanting ‘Rule Britannia’ and shoving strangers, says Victoria Richards.
Following a spate of unprovoked stabbings, and with groups hellbent on stirring up racial tensions, I’m starting to fear the worst for our country.
Pictured: Armed police officers patrol the St Pancras International train station, in London
14:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Anthony Williams: Everything we know about Huntingdon train stabbing suspect
14:15
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Police says three knife-related incidents linked to the Huntingdon train attack suspect
14:08
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Cambridgeshire Police said three knife-related incidents linked to the Huntingdon train attack suspect happened on Friday and Saturday.
In a statement, the force said: “We are aware of three incidents that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening (31 October) and Saturday morning (1 November).
“The first incident of a man with a knife at a barbers in Fletton happened at 7.25pm on Friday but was reported to us at 9.10pm – two hours after the incident occurred.
“At the time of reporting the man was no longer there and had not returned, so we did not send officers, but a crime was raised.
“The second incident was reported to us at 9.25am on Saturday again by the barbers in Fletton while the man was still at the scene. Officers were deployed to the location and arrived within 18 minutes.
“Upon searching the area, officers were unable to locate the man or identify him and a crime was raised.
“There was also a third incident that police also believe may be linked which also happened on Friday 31 October at 7.10pm, where a 14-year-old was stabbed by a man with a knife in the city centre. They were taken to Peterborough City Hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.
“The offender had left the scene when the call was made and despite a search of the area by officers and a police dog, the offender was not identified. A crime was raised and an investigation commenced, with scenes of crime attending.
“We are currently reviewing all incidents in the timeframe to understand whether there were any further potential offences.
“British Transport Police retain primacy for the overall investigation, which will include these three incidents.
“We voluntarily referred ourselves to the IOPC for independent scrutiny of these incidents, as is standard practice in these cases.”
14-year-old boy was stabbed in Peterborough on Friday
14:03
,
Rebecca Whittaker
A 14-year-old boy was stabbed in Peterborough on Friday which was one of three knife-related incidents in the city believed to be linked to the Huntingdon train stabbings suspect, Cambridgeshire Police said.
Watch: Train moved from Huntingdon station after mass stabbing
14:00
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Attacker victim tells of how he defended himself with nothing but his fists
13:51
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Passenger on the train Stephen Creen, 61, was stabbed six times, after he confronted the attacker armed with nothing but his fists.
The Nottingham Forest supporter said he was returning back from a match when he heard a carriage door open and people running and shouting “run, run, run, man’s got knife”.
“They had all packed into the buffet car and the toilets and locked the doors, as you do, and so that was it for me,” he told the Telegraph.
He recalls the knife attacker getting closer towards him and he responded by trying to punch the attacker.
“He had a great big oversized kitchen knife – it was as if it was a Japanese sword or something. He came towards me and said to me, ‘Do you want to die?’. That’s what he said,” he told the newspaper.
Mr Creen said he was stabbed in his left hand, three times in his back, once on his bottom and twice in his head.
He crawled into an empty toilet and locked the door before the train arrived at Huntingdon station.
Alleged attacker is also charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article, for a separate incident
13:40
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Anthony Williams, 32, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after several people were stabbed on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on Saturday.
Separately, Williams is charged with one count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article over an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London in the early hours of Saturday, where a victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife.
He allegedly used a “large kitchen knife” in both attacks, according to court documents.
Scunthorpe United sends 'heartfelt well wishes' to player Jonathan Gjoshe
13:35
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Scunthorpe United player Jonathan Gjoshe was one of the victims affected by the train attack on Saturday, the club has confirmed.
In a post on X the club said he sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the attack, but currently remains in hospital.
The post said: “Everyone at the club, from the Board, management and his teammates, along with all staff behind the scenes, sends our heartfelt well wishes to Jonathan for a full recovery, which is also extended to all the victims on board the train.”
: https://t.co/Ja6WOMNgKX
— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) November 3, 2025
Scunthorpe United can confirm registered player Jonathan Gjoshe was one of the victims affected by the shocking attack on an LNER train bound for London on Saturday evening.
We can confirm… pic.twitter.com/x8Lmnr9VWz
Scunthorpe United defender Jonathan Gjoshe is in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries
13:31
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Scunthorpe United defender Jonathan Gjoshe is in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the mass stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday, the club said.
Watch: Huntington train stabbing: What security is there on trains?
13:30
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Alleged attacker remanded in custody until a hearing in December
13:20
,
Rebecca Whittaker
Anthony Williams, 32, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after several people were stabbed on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on Saturday.
Williams, who wore a grey tracksuit and wore handcuffs as he stood flanked by four security officers in the dock, is also charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was not asked to enter pleas and when asked his address mumbled “no fixed abode”.
He was remanded in custody until a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.
TfL assisting police with investigation
13:10
,
Athena Stavrou
Transport for London (TfL) are assisting emergency services in their investigation following an incident on the DLR near Pontoon Dock in the early hours of Saturday.
Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with attempted murder in relation to the attack at around 12:46am.
He has also been charged with ten counts of attempted murder for an attack later on Saturday evening on a London-bound train.
A TfL spokesperson said: “Our staff have been assisting the emergency services following an incident on the DLR near Pontoon Dock DLR station in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“We now know that the man charged with carrying out this attack has also been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder following a police investigation into an incident on a LNER train from Doncaster to London.
“These are extremely distressing incidents, and our thoughts are with the victims and colleagues affected. We are supporting the British Transport Police who are leading on this investigation.”
Cambridgeshire Police referral to IOPC 'does not meet criteria'
13:06
,
Athena Stavrou
Cambridgeshire Constabulary contacted the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over Saturday’s attack, but the watchdog has found their actions did not meet the criteria for a referral.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “We were contacted by Cambridgeshire Constabulary on Sunday 2 November about an incident on a train from Peterborough to London where several members of the public sustained serious injuries. Our thoughts are with all those affected.
“The force made a referral today (3 November), but we have informed them it did not meet the criteria for a valid referral as there was no indication of direct or indirect police contact with any of the people seriously injured in the incident.
“We have advised the force that if any conduct matters are identified for any officers or staff, then this should be referred to us.”
All death or serious injury (DSI) matters - where a person dies or sustains a serious injury following direct or indirect contact with the police - must be recorded and referred to the IOPC.
However, it is understood prior contact with a person suspected of causing a death or serious injury is unlikely to meet the criteria for a DSI matter.
PM rules out airport style scanners in train stations
13:01
,
Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Installing airport style scanners in train stations would not be "proportionate or practical", the prime minister has said, arguing it is "important to strike a balance between the impact on the rail network and passengers' journeys".
While Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesperson said the government "takes all acts of crime extremely seriously on our railways and on our public transport network", he added: "It's important to strike a balance between the impact on the rail network and passengers' journeys.
"It wouldn’t be proportionate or practical to introduce airport style screening for all passengers - it would come at a huge cost and could bring the flow of passengers to a halt.
"Incidents like Saturday are mercifully rare, on the whole millions of passengers carry out their journeys in safety every day thanks in large part to the careful work of rail network staff who ensure their safety in terms of travel, safe journeys but clearly this is an incident too many".
The spokesperson also said the government supports a wider use of facial recognition saying: "Every officer should feel confident in using this core power where needed."
Alleged attacker remanded in custody at court
12:19
,
Athena Stavrou
Anthony Williams, 32, has just appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court.
Williams, of Peterborough has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder over the mass stabbing on a London-bound train on Saturday.
He was remanded in custody during the short hearing.
What security is in place on trains?
12:02
,
Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
CCTV cameras are standard onboard trains, but passengers are especially vulnerable to attackers while travelling at 125mph in a confined space.
Currently the only pre-boarding check for passengers happens at London St Pancras International, with all Eurostar passengers and their baggage checked before departure to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. This is because the Channel Tunnel is perceived to be a key terrorist target.
For trains within the UK, British Transport Police patrol trains and stations, but the force has fewer than 3,000 officers – on a network with five million journeys a day. The BTP says patrols will be stepped up in the next few days.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said passengers would see "a high visibility presence" of police at railway stations and on trains on Sunday "to reassure the public".
Rail firms will consider increasing the number of security staff on trains. There are likely to be calls for airport-style security checks before boarding trains. But given the sheer number of travellers and the constraints at stations, that seems impractical.
Victoria Richards: It’s not just on Britain’s trains that I no longer feel safe
11:46
,
Athena Stavrou
On the same evening as the Huntingdon train knife attack, I watched a group of kids at a major railway station chanting ‘Rule Britannia’ and shoving strangers, says Victoria Richards.
Following a spate of unprovoked stabbings, and with groups hellbent on stirring up racial tensions, I’m starting to fear the worst for our country:
Full statement from the Crown Prosecution Service
11:32
,
Athena Stavrou
Tracy Easton, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Direct, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Anthony Williams with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and 1 count of possession of a bladed article – following a police investigation into an incident on a LNER train from Doncaster to London on Saturday 01 November 2025.
"Our team of out-of-hours prosecutors worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
“We worked closely with British Transport Police to review a huge volume of evidence including CCTV. The number of charges will be kept under review as this continues to progress.
“We know the devastating impact the events on Saturday’s train has had and how the incident shocked the entire country. Our thoughts remain with all those effected.”
What other incident has the suspect been accused of?
11:16
,
Athena Stavrou
Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged following the attacks on the LNER service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross on Saturday evening, British Transport Police said.
He is also charged in connection to another incident in the early hours of the same day.
He has been charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection with an attack on a train at Pontoon Dock DLR station in east London.
A victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife.
Pictured: Increased police presence at London stations after attack
11:03
,
Athena Stavrou
Defence secretary praises 'swift' police response
10:50
,
Athena Stavrou
Defence Secretary John Healey has praised the “swift” response of police officers as a man was charged over a mass stabbing on a busy train in Cambridgeshire.
Speaking in Uxbridge, west London, on Monday, he said: “I think the response of the emergency services was swift. The launch of the investigation was swift.
“Quite rightly, the reports to the public on the early assessments and the conclusion, giving the public as much information as the police could as soon as they could, was quite right and this is the latest development in that.
“And if the police have got more to say, they’ll let us know.”
Asked about Kemi Badenoch’s comments that the attack shows there is “clearly something going wrong with our society”, Mr Healey said: “I don’t see that that helps anyone in the situation of coming to terms with that horrific attack on Saturday night.
“I’d rather she talked about the extraordinary response of the train crew, the passengers, the emergency services, all of whom responded in quite a heroic way to what was a very serious attack which could have been so much worse.”
Recap: What we know about the attack
10:38
,
Athena Stavrou
- The attack began shortly after the London-bound train left Peterborough on Saturday night, causing panic as passengers fled through carriages or barricaded themselves in toilets.
- Eleven people were hospitalised after the attack. One, a member of LNER staff who tried to stop the attack, remains in a ‘critical but stable’ condition, while five others have since been discharged.
- Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with ten counts of attempted murder and will appear in court on Monday.
- Huntingdon station itself remains closed, but the rail line has reopened and trains are able to pass through on their way to London
- A 35-year-old man from London who was also arrested at the scene has been released with no further action.
- Police are understood to be investigating all circumstances, including whether mental health was a factor, but it is not believed to have been a terrorist incident.
Watch: Train moved from Huntingdon station after mass stabbing
10:24
,
Athena Stavrou
Williams to appear in court today
10:12
,
Athena Stavrou
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough has been charged after a mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train on Saturday.
Williams, from Langford Road, Peterborough, will appear at Peterborough Magistrates on Monday morning, police said.
We will bring you the latest updates here.
Man charged also accused of separate London attack earlier that day
09:40
,
Athena Stavrou
The man who has been charged in connection with a mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train on Saturday has also been accused of another attack in London earlier in the day.
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article, British Transport Police said.
He is also charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection to an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station in the early hours of the same day.
Police name man charged after stabbing
09:12
,
Athena Stavrou
Police have named the man who has been charged following the mass stabbing on a London-bound train on Saturday.
Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article, British Transport Police said.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said: “The criminal investigation and support for the victims is a priority for British Transport Police.”
“Our investigation is also looking at other possible linked offences.
“Following the charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service I would stress the importance of not saying or publishing anything which might jeopardise or prejudice ongoing criminal proceedings, or the integrity of the investigation.”
Train moved from Huntingdon
09:07
,
Athena Stavrou
The LNER train where the mass stabbing attack took place on Friday has been moved from Huntingdon station.
According to the BBC, the train moved shortly before 8:45am.
Passengers on the train describe horror
08:47
,
Athena Stavrou
Several passengers on the train where a mass stabbing took place on Friday have described how the incident unfolded.
Alistair Day, who had travelled to watch Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, was by the buffet car when he thought a Halloween prank was unfolding.
He told the BBC: “Then they’re getting louder and louder, any sorts of people with blood on them [appeared] and I thought, ‘Oh, bloody hell, this is not good’.”
Thomas McLachlan, 19, from London, who was on the train returning from a trip to Newcastle, described how people were leaving the train “drenched in blood”.
He told the BBC: “I saw loads of other passengers getting off absolutely drenched in blood.
“There was one man clutching a white sheet to his head who looked like he was stabbed twice....really severe injuries.”
Dayna Arnold, 48, said she begged the knifeman to spare her life as he stood over her with a 6 inch blade after she was separated from her partner in the panic.
“I was running and when I looked back I saw the knifeman running after me,” the project manager told The Mirror.
“I fell down and I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me’. Something shifted in his face and he just carried on.”
Minister promises a review of security measures at stations and temporary increase in police patrols
08:32
,
Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has promised the government will conduct a review of security measures on train lines in the wake of Saturday's knife attack, as well as increasing visible police patrols at stations over the next few days.
Challenged on whether a temporary increase to patrols would make a long term difference to passenger safety, Ms Alexander insisted that "public transport generally is a low-crime environment".
Speaking to Sky News, she added: "This incident was absolutely horrific on Saturday night, and I don’t want to take away from that in any way – but generally, our trains are some of the most safest forms of public transport anywhere in the world.
“For every one million passenger journeys that are made, there are 27 crimes.”
The transport secretary continued: “Now for me, one crime is one crime too many, so we will after this review all of our security measures because that is the right thing to do.”
Transport secretary pays tribute to 'incredible bravery' of train staff
08:20
,
Athena Stavrou
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander paid tribute to the "incredible bravery" of the member of train staff injured while trying to protect passengers during Saturday's mass stabbing.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Alexander praised the “incredible bravery of the train staff, the train driver who got that train into Huntingdon station, the Network Rail controller, the signaller who got that train to a place of safety”.
“Most of all, I would like to say thank you to the emergency services and the one individual who is still critically ill in hospital, who is stable I’m pleased to say, but he went into work that morning to work on that train service, to serve passengers and he put himself in harm’s way.
“He went in to do his job and he left work a hero. And there are people who are alive today because of his actions and his bravery.”
Recap: Police identify 32-year-old as lone suspect
07:58
,
Athena Stavrou
A 32-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the Huntingdon train knife attack is now being treated as the only suspect, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
The man, from Peterborough, boarded the train at Peterborough station.
Another man, a 35-year-old from London, has been released with no further action, BTP said in a statement.
The force said police have established that he was not involved with the attack.
Police also confirmed that a knife was recovered by officers at the scene.
Suspect was not known to counter-terror police
07:45
,
Athena Stavrou
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the suspect in the mass stabbing on Saturday’s 6.25pm rail service from Doncaster to London King’s
