Train ‘knifeman’ spotted in barbers moments after boy, 14, stabbed

This is the moment a suspected ‘knifeman’ is caught on CCTV at a barbershop just 24 hours before the train attack.

Detectives are investigating whether Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough is also linked to the stabbing of a 14-year-old boy with a ‘large kitchen knife’.

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.

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.

The attack on Saturday evening saw a man on the 6.25pm service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross train go on a stabbing rampage.

The train was forced to make an emergency stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, after police received calls about the incident at 7.42pm.

An LNER staff member is in a critical but stable condition in hospital following the stabbings on the high-speed service, while four other people remain in hospital.

Williams has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article relating to the incident on the train.

Williams has also been accused of another attack in east London on Saturday.

He 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.

Williams appeared in the dock in handcuffs with four security officers alongside him, and spoke softly to confirm his name, age and address.
He was not asked to enter pleas and when asked his address, mumbled: ‘No fixed abode.’

It is understood he is not known to the security services or counter-terrorism policing, and had not been referred to the Government anti-extremism scheme Prevent.

Opposing bail for Williams, prosecutor Olaide Esan told the hearing: ‘The defendant has attempted to murder 11 people in total.

‘These are serious allegations. These are very serious offences.
‘The defendant is a risk to the trains and to the members of the public.”
The assault charge Williams faces relates to him allegedly attacking a male police officer in custody after being arrested, leaving him with a ‘broken nose’, Ms Olaide said.

Williams has been charged with the attempted murder of Scott Bletcher; Michael Paffett; Kevin Deely; Jonathan Gjoshe; David Presland; Sachin Balakrishnan; Stephen Crean; Samir Zitouni; Rasza Aslam and Scott Green.

He is also accused of the attempted murder of Isaiah Ishmael Idris earlier the same day at a DLR station.

Williams has been remanded into custody.

Tracy Easton, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Direct, said: ‘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.’

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police 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.’

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