Summary: Anthony Williams, 32, of Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after a mass stabbing on an LNER train that left 11 people treated in hospital and several critically injured. The attack occurred shortly after the service left Peterborough; two suspects were initially detained at Huntingdon, with one later released. Williams also faces charges linked to a separate incident at Pontoon Dock and police are investigating other possibly connected events in Peterborough. Authorities say there is no current evidence the attacks were terror-related and praised an LNER staff member who confronted the attacker.
British Man Charged with 10 Counts of Attempted Murder After Mass Stabbing on LNER Train
Summary: Anthony Williams, 32, of Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after a mass stabbing on an LNER train that left 11 people treated in hospital and several critically injured. The attack occurred shortly after the service left Peterborough; two suspects were initially detained at Huntingdon, with one later released. Williams also faces charges linked to a separate incident at Pontoon Dock and police are investigating other possibly connected events in Peterborough. Authorities say there is no current evidence the attacks were terror-related and praised an LNER staff member who confronted the attacker.
20:35, 03.11.2025Security
Man charged after mass stabbing on high-speed LNER service
A 32-year-old man has been charged with multiple offences after a mass stabbing aboard a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service that was traveling through Cambridgeshire on its way to London. The British Transport Police (BTP) declared the episode a major incident as emergency services responded to numerous injured passengers.
Charges and court details
Police have charged Anthony Williams, 32, of Peterborough, with 10 counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack on the train. He has also been charged with one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article related to the Cambridgeshire incident. Separately, Williams faces an additional attempted-murder charge and a possession charge over an earlier incident at Pontoon Dock station in London.
Williams appeared in court on Monday and was remanded in custody. He was not required to enter a plea at that appearance and gave his address as having "no fixed abode," according to PA Media. His next court hearing is scheduled for December 1.
What happened on the train
The LNER service had departed Doncaster at 6:25 p.m. local time on Saturday. The attack occurred shortly after the train left Peterborough station in Cambridgeshire. Passenger accounts describe sudden shouting and people running along carriages; several witnesses reported seeing victims with stab wounds and heavy bleeding and some passengers sought refuge in toilets or other carriages.
Cambridgeshire police received the first emergency call at about 7:39 p.m. Armed officers were deployed and, after an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station, two people were initially detained within roughly 11 minutes of the call; one of those was later released. Police briefly used the national codeword 'Plato', which is used for responses to marauding terrorist attacks, before later rescinding that designation.
Victims and response
A total of 11 victims received treatment in hospital. Ten were taken to hospital by ambulance — nine of those were initially described as being in life-threatening condition — and another person self-presented later that evening. As of Sunday evening one person remained in critical condition; that individual was an LNER staff member who intervened and who police say likely saved lives after confronting the attacker.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said on Monday that five people remained in hospital, including the crew member who is in a critical but stable condition. Among those injured was Scunthorpe United footballer Jonathan Gjoshe, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the club said.
Investigation and context
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy of the British Transport Police said detectives are reviewing CCTV footage from the train and are investigating other possibly linked offences. Cambridgeshire police are also probing three separate incidents in Peterborough that may be connected; one of those involved a stabbing in the city centre in which a 14-year-old sustained minor injuries.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the suspect was not known to security services, counter-terror police or the Home Office's Prevent programme. Authorities have so far said there is no evidence to suggest the incidents were terror-related.
The attack took place on the East Coast Main Line, one of the UK’s busiest rail routes. Officials noted that mass-casualty events are rare in the UK and pointed to comparative crime statistics: government figures show 5,103 recorded firearm offences over the past year, while knife-crime offences in England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2025 numbered 51,527, including 15,689 in London.
Official reactions
British political leaders and senior figures expressed shock and sympathy. Labour leader Keir Starmer thanked emergency services and offered his thoughts to those affected; Home Secretary Mahmood and Buckingham Palace also issued statements of condolence and praise for the emergency response. Police asked anyone with information or relevant footage to come forward to assist the investigation.
Note: This account summarizes information released by the British Transport Police, Cambridgeshire police and public statements made by government officials as the investigation continues.