Huntingdon train attacker admits wounding 10, denies murder
Anthony Williams, 33, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wounding with intent at Cambridge Crown Court but still denies 14 counts of attempted murder.
A 33-year-old man accused of a mass stabbing on a London-bound train last year pleaded guilty on Monday to 12 counts of wounding with intent, including the wounding of 10 people hurt in the attack, but continues to deny 14 counts of attempted murder, Cambridge Crown Court heard.
Anthony Williams appeared by video-link from custody at a pre-trial review hearing. He admitted 14 newly put charges, comprising 12 counts of wounding with intent and two of attempting to wound with intent, and changed his pleas to guilty on seven further counts, including affray at a barber's shop in Peterborough and stealing knives from an Asda store in Stevenage.
The stabbings happened on a London North Eastern Railway service travelling from Doncaster to London on the evening of 1 November last year, when the train was brought to a stop at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Armed police were called to the station after passengers made emergency calls. Ten people were injured, Manchester Evening News reported; the Daily Mirror said 11 people were treated in hospital, with nine initially believed to have life-threatening injuries.
Williams also admitted wounding with intent against a man at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London in the early hours of 1 November, and against a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough the day before. He denies 14 counts of attempted murder relating to the train attack, the DLR station incident and three people targeted in Peterborough, including the boy and two men aged 22 and 28. He further admitted possessing bladed articles at several locations and assaulting a police officer while in custody on 2 November.
Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC told the court the guilty pleas did not resolve the indictment. A trial on the remaining attempted-murder charges will begin at Cambridge Crown Court on 26 October, expected to last five to six weeks, and Mr Justice Calver said sentencing on the admitted charges would be deferred until it concludes. Williams was remanded in custody ahead of the trial.
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What we know
- Official · Cambridge Crown Court Anthony Williams, 33, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wounding with intent, including the wounding of 10 people on the Huntingdon train attack.
- Official · Cambridge Crown Court He denies 14 counts of attempted murder and will stand trial at Cambridge Crown Court from 26 October.
- 2+ outlets · Manchester Evening News, Daily Mirror +1 The attack happened on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on 1 November last year, stopped at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
- Official · Cambridge Crown Court He also admitted wounding with intent at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London and against a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough.
- Official · Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC said the guilty pleas do not resolve the case.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Reports differ on the number treated in hospital: Manchester Evening News reported 10 injured, while the Daily Mirror put the figure at 11.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Figure history
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Why it matters for Europe
The case is one of Britain's most serious mass-casualty knife attacks on public transport in recent years. The admitted charges mean next week's trial will turn on a narrower question: whether Williams intended to kill his victims, including ten people targeted on the train itself. The trial's length, five to six weeks, reflects the number of separate incidents prosecutors say are linked to the same two-day period.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What has Anthony Williams pleaded guilty to?
- Twelve counts of wounding with intent, two of attempting to wound, and seven other offences including affray and theft; he denies 14 counts of attempted murder.
- Where and when did the train attack happen?
- On an LNER service from Doncaster to London, which was stopped at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on the evening of 1 November last year.
- When is the trial?
- The trial on the remaining attempted-murder charges begins at Cambridge Crown Court on 26 October and is expected to last five to six weeks.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.