A man accused of a series of violent knife attacks, including a mass stabbing on a train near Huntingdon and an incident at a London Docklands Light Railway station, will stand trial next year.
Charges Span Multiple Locations and Dates
Anthony Williams, 32, of no fixed abode, faces a total of 21 charges following a string of alleged incidents across late October and early November. The case was consolidated during a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, which Williams did not attend.
The most serious allegations relate to the evening of November 1, when several passengers were stabbed on an LNER service travelling from Doncastle to London. For this, Williams is charged with ten counts of attempted murder. He also faces a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an alleged attack on a male police officer while in custody, and a charge of possessing a bladed article on the same date.
Earlier Alleged Attacks in Peterborough and London
Separately, the defendant is accused of one count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article concerning an attack in the early hours of November 1 at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London. The victim in this case suffered facial injuries.
The joined indictment includes a further seven charges related to events on October 31 and November 1. These allege that Williams attempted to murder a 14-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, and attempted to wound a 28-year-old man, all in Peterborough.
He is also charged with affray at a Peterborough barbershop and the theft of a pack of knives from an Asda store in Stevenage on October 31. Additional charges include the assault of a man on a King's Cross to Peterborough train on November 1, and possessing a bladed article in public at several locations in Peterborough on October 31.
Court Proceedings and Custody
At the hearing, Judge Mark Bishop set a provisional trial date of June 22, 2026. A further case management hearing is scheduled for January 28 at the same court. Anthony Williams remains in custody and did not enter any pleas during the latest proceeding.
The case highlights serious concerns about knife crime on public transport and in urban centres. The court will now prepare for what is expected to be a complex trial encompassing multiple alleged victims and locations across Cambridgeshire and London.
