Mass train stabbing suspect pictured for first time after horror attack

The British Transport Police said five patients remain in hospital following the attack on a train near Huntingdon.

One patient is stable but was described as "critically unwell."

The remaining four patients are stable.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs on Monday that the public will have "many unanswered questions" about the train attacker and what events led up to the incident on board the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train from Doncaster to London on Saturday.

She paid tribute to the "breathtaking bravery" of those on the train, including one of the staff members who put himself in harm's way and confronted the attacker.

She said: "On Saturday, he went to work to do his job - today, he is a hero, and forever will be. "

The LNER staff member is in a critical but stable condition in hospital following the stabbings on the high-speed service.

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.

Earlier on Monday, Anthony Williams, 32, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after several people were stabbed on the LNER train.

He is also charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article.

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 is next to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.

There were 13 casualties in total, eight of whom remain in hospital, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs on Monday.

Mr Crean said he had no chance to escape as the armed man approached but he managed to get into a train toilet after the confrontation.

Of his decision to fight back, he said: "Probably not many people would've done it, but then you're leaving people behind you vulnerable."

He has been described as a hero and said: "It's lovely that people are saying nice things about me."

Mr Crean, a Nottingham Forest fan, said the knifeman asked if he wanted to die before he felt the knife in his arm.

"He asked me, 'Do you want to die?'," he told the PA news agency.

"He repeated it. Then I remember his knife going into my arm."

Mr Crean suffered multiple injuries.

Football fan Stephen Crean was asked "do you want to die?" before he was repeatedly stabbed by the suspected Huntingdon train knifeman.

Mr Crean, 61, felt he "didn't have much choice" but to fight back, as he defended himself with nothing but his fists when the man approached with a "sword-type thing".

He was returning to his south-west London home after watching Nottingham Forest's 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Saturday, when a young woman ran through his carriage yelling "knife, knife, there's a man with a big knife".

Mr Crean said passengers ran down the carriage into the buffet car of the LNER train from Doncaster to London, adding: "There was nowhere to go. I didn't have much choice."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has lavished praise on emergency service workers who he has said were "heroic" when they responded to the attack on Friday.

Speaking from the House of Commons Despatch Box earlier today, he also praised members of the staff and the train driver aboard when the "vile and horrific attack" took place.

He said: "There's no doubt that their collective action, their brave action, saved countless lives and I know the whole country is grateful for that."

British Transport Police (BTP) has said in a statement that five patients remain in hospital following the attack on Saturday.

The service said 10 people were initially taken to hospital, one of whom self presented, and that six have since been discharged. Of the patients one remains "critically unwell" but stable as of Monday evening.

A brave football fan who used only his fists to fight off a man accused of a mass stabbing on a busy train has said he "didn't have much choice".

Stephen Crean was one of several victims injured while travelling from Cambridgeshire to London on Saturday night. The 61-year-old was returning home from watching Nottingham Forest draw 2-2 with Manchester United. The mass stabbing on the 6.25pm LNER service from Doncaster to London's King's Cross station on Saturday night left 11 people injured, with police confirming last night that two people remain in a critical condition.

Passengers said the attack began after the train passed through Peterborough before the hero driver made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, allowing them to get off safely.

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Police have insisted the rail network is a "safe place to be" after Saturday's incident, saying there is a "major step-up programme" underway to increase the presence of officers at transport hubs.

Supt Nick Sedgemoretold the BBC: "We think this should reassure people by seeing extra police officers on the rail network, but also to increase the safety of the travelling public."

He added the chances of being victimised on the rails in the UK are "very rare indeed", saying: "The chances of being a victim on the railway network is very rare indeed. The number of crimes are low compared to the millions of people we have using the network."

Hero Huntingdon train driver Andrew Johnson today downplayed his role in averting further bloodshed during the knife attack, insisting: "The action I took is the same as any other driver."

In a statement released through LNER, the Iraq veteran revealed he requested an unscheduled stop after violence erupted on the London-bound Azuma atq just after 7.30pm on Saturday. Mr Johnson said he drew on his 20 years' experience as a driver to help him stop at Huntingdon train station where armed officers swooped.

Mr Johnson, who served in the Royal Navy for 17 years, said: “As train drivers, we hold a lot of responsibility. We practise our emergency response and keep up to date with our knowledge of the route, so if needed, we know exactly where to stop and what to do.”

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Scunthorpe United confirmed earlier today that one of its players, Jonathan Gjoshe, was a victim of the Huntingdon knife attacker.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the club said: "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 that Jonathan sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the attack, but currently remains in hospital. Due to the ongoing investigations taking place, we are currently unable to update further.

"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."

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police has said in a statement that investigators are "reviewing all incidents" allegedly linked to the Huntingdon train stabbings over the weekend.

They said: "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."

This weekend's attack on a British rail service has caused some to call for increased security, including 'airport-style' scanners at UK stations. Security expert and professor at the University of Buckingham Anthony Glees said: "I'd strongly urge British Transport Police to install metal detectors routinely at all stations".

However, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has not endorsed this idea. While she said there would be increased security and that the government would "review security arrangements" on the rail network, she said she didn't think scanners were the "right solution for stations in the UK".

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A 14-year-old boy was allegedly stabbed by the Huntingdon train station attack suspect the day before the train stabbimg, according to police. Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the boy was attacked on Halloween, last Friday, in Peterborough.

The incident is believed to be one of three stabbings carried out by Anthony Williams, 32. In a statement, the force said: “We are aware of three incidents that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening (October 31) and Saturday morning (November 1)."

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According to a passenger, the man who carried out the knife rampage on board the LNER service repeated five chilling words before he was eventually arrested by police. Stephen Crean, who bravely confronted the knifeman during the attack, said: "He was waving this blade in my fave and he said 'do you want to die' to me three times."

The Nottingham Forest fan, who was travelling back from a game against Manchester United, said the journey descended into chaos just minutes after he boarded at Grantham. Describing what he saw, he said there were several passengers running through his carriage shouting "there's a bloke with a knife".

Read the full story here.

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.

Huntingdon train stabbing suspect Anthony Williams, 32, has been pictured for the first time.

A woman has described the moment she made eye contact with the Huntingdon train attacker - and said he had a chilling 'zombie-like' stare

The mass stabbing on the 6.25pm LNER service from Doncaster to London's King's Cross station on Saturday night left 11 people injured, with police confirming last night that two people remain in a critical condition.

Passengers said the attack began after the train passed through Peterborough before the hero driver made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, allowing them to get off safely.

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This is the moment the Huntingdon train stabbing suspect was arrested by police.

In the harrowing footage, four officers surrounded the suspect - who was on the ground - and Tasered him before yelling "give me your hands now". Another officer approached with a police dog and gave support to the officers.

The officers were seen aiming their firearms at the suspect throughout the arrest that happened following the attack on a train that pulled into Huntingdon Station on Saturday night.

The tense moment was captured on video and showed the alleged knifeman remained on the ground throughout.

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Terrified passengers have described the moment a normal journey turned into a 'scene from a horror film' after a knifeman unleashed a marauding attack.

Those who boarded the busy 6.25pm LNER train from Doncaster to King’s Cross on Saturday night had expected to arrive into London less than two hours later - but ended up running for their lives down the carriages as they watched one of the biggest mass stabbings in British history unfold.

A total of 10 people - including a man who was allegedly stabbed in the head while protecting a young girl - were rushed to hospital after the quick-thinking driver made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, allowing passengers to flee down the platform.

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The LNER Azuma train, on which the mass stabbing took place, has been driven away from Huntingdon Station this morning.

British Transport Police Deputy Cheif 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.”

Tracy Easton, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Direct, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Anthony Williams with 11 counts of attempted murder, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts 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 affected.”

The British Transport Police said in a statement: "Anthony Williams, 32, of Langford Road, Peterborough, is charged with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of ABH (Actual Bodily Harm), and one count of possession of bladed article in connection to the incident at Huntingdon.

"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 on 1 November.

"He is due to appear at Peterborough Magistrates' Court later this morning."

National Rail said disruptions remain between London Kings Cross and Peterborough, the line where the attack happened.

There is still no service at Huntingdon station.

The bravery and heroism of emergency services was praised by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.

She told Sky News: “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.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said there would be more visible police patrols following the attack on Saturday.

She added: "Public transport generally is a low-crime environment – and 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.”

She added: "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 Heidi 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”.