Train stabbing shocks UK: Anthony Williams charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after 11 injured

Man charged after mass stabbing on train that wounded 11

U.K. police announced on Monday that 32-year-old Anthony Williams has been charged with multiple offences after a stabbing on a train from Doncaster to London left 11 people injured. British Transport Police say Williams faces 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article in connection with the Saturday evening attack.

Possible linked incidents

Police also charged Williams with attempted murder over a separate incident just before 1 a.m. on Saturday at Pontoon Dock light rail station in London, where a victim "suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife" and the assailant fled. Cambridgeshire Constabulary is investigating whether Williams was connected to three incidents in Peterborough: a Friday evening stabbing that left a 14-year-old boy with minor injuries and two reports of a man carrying a knife at a barber shop on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In each of those cases the suspect reportedly left quickly and no one was detained at the time.

Arrest, court appearance and alleged assault on officer

Williams, a British citizen from Peterborough, was arrested after the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of London. Police say he was detained within eight minutes of the first emergency calls. A second man initially arrested was released without charge after officers established he was not involved.

Williams made a brief appearance at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Monday. Standing in the dock in a grey prison tracksuit and handcuffs and flanked by security officers, he was remanded in custody until his next hearing on Dec. 1. He was not asked to enter pleas. The single count of actual bodily harm relates to an allegation that he struck an officer and broke the officer's nose during or after his arrest.

Victims and response

The minutes-long stabbing spree aboard the train, which had just left Peterborough, sparked scenes of panic as bloodied passengers ran through carriages to escape the attacker. Eleven people were treated in hospital. The most seriously injured is a member of rail staff who intervened to stop the assailant; police described the worker's actions as "nothing short of heroic." That worker remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. Several other victims, including Jonathan Gjoshe of Scunthorpe United, were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.

Security and wider context

Authorities described the attack as an isolated incident and said it is not being treated as terrorism. They increased police patrols, including armed officers at major stations, while investigators continue their inquiries. The government rejected calls for airport-style screening at the country's roughly 3,500 railway stations, saying such measures would not be "proportionate or practical."

In the U.K., where firearms are tightly regulated, knives and other sharp instruments account for a substantial share of homicides. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has pledged to reduce knife crime, introducing tighter purchase rules and banning certain blades. Officials point to data from the Office for National Statistics showing knife killings fell by more than 20% in the year to March 2025 compared with the previous 12 months.

Note: All charges are allegations. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, and police investigations are ongoing.