By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Anthony Williams, 33, went on trial at Cambridge Crown Court accused of attempting to murder 10 passengers and staff on a train that made an emergency stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on 1 November 2025. He also faces charges of trying to kill three people in Peterborough the previous day and a teenager at a London railway station hours later.
Prosecution Opens Case
Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC told the jury that Williams "brought terror" to the London-bound LNER service after boarding at Peterborough. Passengers fled in sheer terror, some locking themselves in toilets, while others showed extraordinary bravery, using items such as a toaster and a frying pan to fend off the attacker. Train crew member Samir Zitouni was stabbed multiple times after trying to stop Williams with a frying pan.
Series of Attacks
The charges cover a spree across the Halloween weekend. On 31 October, Williams allegedly stabbed a 14-year-old boy and Dawid Taborski on a footbridge near Henry Penn Walk in Peterborough, then attacked William Ogelby at Railworld car park. In the early hours of 1 November, he travelled to east London and stabbed a 17-year-old on a Docklands Light Railway train at Pontoon Dock in Silvertown. A witness reported hearing Williams repeatedly say: "Are you trying to beef with the devil?"
Intent to Kill
Paxton said the defendant asked one victim, Stephen Crean, "do you want to die?" as Crean tried to intervene. The prosecution argues this demonstrates clear intent to kill, regardless of the severity of injuries. The attack on the train ended only when the driver made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station.
Trial Proceedings
Williams, of Langford Road, Peterborough, denies 14 counts of attempted murder. He appeared via video link from Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire. The judge, Mr Justice Calver, said this arrangement would ensure his effective participation. The trial continues.
