Passengers confronted knife attacker who injured ten on LNER train
Passengers confronted Anthony Williams as he moved through an LNER train from Doncaster to London, stabbing people on 1 November last year. Cambridge Crown Court heard accounts of fear and bravery as the trial began, with witnesses describing how they tried to protect others and stop the attack.
Ten people were attacked on the train, and prosecutors say Williams had targeted four others elsewhere since the previous day. He admits intending to cause very serious harm but denies 14 attempted murder charges. Witnesses told the court that train worker Samir Zitouni used a barricade of items, including frying pans and a toaster, while passengers Stephen Crean and David Presland were among those stabbed and left with serious injuries.
In short
- Ten people were attacked on an LNER train.
- Passengers and staff tried to confront Williams and help others.
- He admits intending serious harm but denies 14 attempted murders.
Explained simply
LNER is a train operator whose services connect towns and cities in the east of England with London. The route from Doncaster to London carries passengers travelling for work, visits and other reasons.
Anthony Williams is accused of attacking people on the train and four others elsewhere. He admits intending to cause very serious harm but denies 14 charges of attempted murder; the jury will consider the evidence and decide whether those charges are proved.
The case matters because it concerns the safety of passengers and staff on public transport, and the actions people took during a serious attack. The trial is also examining the injuries suffered and what witnesses saw.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Heroic passengers desperately tried to stop ‘knifeman’ who had ‘delight on his face’ as he rampaged through train carriages stabbing victims, court told”.