What we know about Cambridgeshire train stabbings

Passengers traveling from Doncaster to London were attacked in a mass stabbing on a train on Saturday night.

Eleven people received treatment in hospital following the attack. One – a member of the train staff – is in a “critical but stable condition”.

Two British men in their 30s were initially arrested while the police said there was “nothing to suggest” it was a terror incident.

Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough was charged on Monday with 10 counts of attempted murder.

The other man arrested has been released with no further action.

Witnesses reported that the police used a Taser on one man who was holding a knife.

Cambridgeshire police are reviewing three further incidents, including the stabbing of a 14-year-old in Peterborough, to establish whether there is a connection between them and the Huntingdon train attack.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the attack was “appalling” and “deeply concerning”, while the King and Queen sent their “deepest sympathy” to those affected.

Thanking the emergency services and bravery of those onboard in the House of Commons on Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the man who committed the crime was “the very worst of humanity”.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the police should be allowed to “triple” the use of stop and search to apprehend people carrying knives.

Here is what we know so far.

Mr Williams, 32, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm (ABH) and one count of possession of a bladed article following the knife attack, BTP said on Monday morning.

Police said he has also been charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection with an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station in the early hours of the same day.

The ABH charge is in connection to an alleged assault in a custody suite on a police officer that allegedly resulted in a broken nose for the officer, following the incident at Huntingdon.

Williams, of no fixed abode, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded in custody.

He is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.

The attack took place on the 18:25 GMT London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service from Doncaster, South Yorkshire to London’s King’s Cross station.

Passengers said one person brandishing a knife began stabbing people on the train after it passed through Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgeshire Police received the first call from passengers on board at 19:39, and the British Transport Police (BTP) was also alerted at 19:42.

The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon, which is around 15 minutes from Peterborough by train.

Armed police boarded the train and arrested the two men within eight minutes of the call to BTP. Police later said a knife was recovered from the scene.

A large emergency service response, including air ambulances, attended.

The driver of the train, who has since been identified as Andrew Johnson – a former Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy – contacted the control room from his cab to get the train diverted from the fast track to the slow track when the alarm was raised.

It meant the train could stop at a platform in Huntingdon.

Uninjured passengers were interviewed by the police and some boarded a coach bound for London.

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty told the BBC there were about 10 ambulances, several fire engines and “well over 20 police cars” when he first arrived at the scene just after 21:00.

National Rail said the station would remain closed until the end of the day on Monday.

The empty train was seen at the platform on Sunday along with a police presence and forensics tents.

Cambridgeshire police are reviewing three further incidents to establish whether there is a connection between them and the Huntingdon train attack.

On Friday evening, according to police, a man was seen with a knife at a barbers in Fletton, Peterborough, but the incident was reported two hours after the occurrence. A “crime was raised” but no officers were sent.

Police are investigating whether a second incident on Friday evening, in which a 14-year-old was stabbed by a man may also be linked to the train attacks

This happened at 19:10 on Friday, police said, and the victim was taken to Peterborough City Hospital with minor injuries and later discharged.

On Saturday morning, a second incident was reported by the same barbers with the perpetrator still at the scene, police said.

Officers were deployed to the location, and arrived within 18 minutes but were unable to locate the man or identify him and another “crime was raised”.

Cambridgeshire police said it has referred itself to the police watchdog for scrutiny of the events.

The BBC has obtained a picture of Williams in a barbershop in Peterborough, the evening before the train attack.

Emergency crews took 10 people to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge – which is some 30 minutes away from the train station – and one person later went to the hospital for treatment.

Shortly before 18:00 on Sunday, police said five people had been discharged from hospital and one remained in a “life-threatening condition”.

“This casualty is a member of LNER rail staff who was on the train at the time and tried to stop the attacker,” the police said.

“Detectives have reviewed the CCTV from the train and it is clear his actions were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved many people’s lives.”

The driver has been identified as Andew Johnson, who said the action he took was “the same as any other driver”

“I think my colleagues onboard were the real heroes and I’d like to pay tribute to their bravery.”

The 10 people whose attempted murder Mr Williams is charged with include Jonathan Gjoshe, a Scunthorpe United footballer, who was slashed across the bicep and was operated on in hospital, his club said.

Another victim, Stephen Crean told the BBC he “tussled” with the attacker, and was slashed on the head and hand. His left hand is heavily bandaged.

On Monday morning, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told BBC Breakfast the staff member was “in hospital in a critical but stable condition”.

She added that “the bravery that he showed was utterly remarkable” after putting himself “in harm’s way”.

“There are people who are alive today who wouldn’t be… were it not for his actions.”

Alexander also described passengers “hiding in the toilet cubicles” and other carriages as the attack unfolded.

Witnesses told the BBC of panic and confusion as passengers ran through the carriages, some wounded and bloodied.

Alistair Day, 58, told the BBC he hid in the buffet car with about 11 other passengers while the attacker attempted to gain entry.

He said one passenger turned to him and calmly said he had been stabbed in the chest: “He had blood all over him, so we put pressure and stuff and held him.”

Olly Foster said he heard people shouting “run, there’s a guy stabbing literally everyone and everything” and thought at first it might have been a Halloween prank.

He saw an older man with gashes on his head and neck after he “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a younger girl. Passengers used their jackets to try and stop the bleeding.

Nottingham University student Amira Ostalski was on the train with her friend.

She said when they got off the train as it came to a stop at Huntingdon she thought she would be safe but then she noticed the man – thought to be the attacker – jumping over a fence and running towards them.

“The police came and detained him right in front of my eyes,” she said.

Ms. Ostalski added that she would feel “vulnerable” if she were to sit on a train again.

LNER urged passengers to check before travelling on Monday due to possible cancellations or changes to services between London Kings Cross and Peterborough.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday will be valid until Friday, and those who no longer want to travel this week can get a refund.

Huntingdon station will remain closed until the end of Monday, LNER said, adding that a rail replacement bus service was in operation.

Government sources told the PA news agency there will be a “surge” in police presence until at least Tuesday in core transport hubs across the country such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, in addition to Huntingdon.