Terrifying footage has captured the moment hundreds of passengers fled in 'sheer terror' as a 'marauding' knifeman rampaged through carriages aboard an LNER train to London.
asserted
knifeman → capture → London
Anthony Williams, 33, is said to have 'posed a dangerous threat' as he stalked his victims 'through towns and cities, on streets and trains alike' during a series of violent Halloween weekend attacks that culminated in the mass stabbing.
asserted
that → say → stabbing
The assaults began on October 31 last year when three people were attacked in Peterborough, including a 14-year-old boy.
asserted
people → begin → boy
The defendant then travelled to London and stabbed a man on the Docklands Light Railway before boarding a Doncaster to London LNER service on the evening of November 1 where he 'brought terror' as ten people were attacked.
asserted
people → travel → terror
Horrifying footage played in court showed dozens of passengers wrapped in coats and hats fleeing down carriages as Williams approaches them, 'slashing and stabbing with his knife'.
asserted
Williams → play → knife
One of the clips showed train crew member Samir Zitouni trying to use a frying pan to fend off Williams as he held the sizeable knife in his face.
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he → show → face
He was ultimately stabbed multiple times, the court was told.
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court → stab → ?
The CCTV clip showed a man holding the left side of his face, which appeared to be bleeding.
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which → show → face
Mr Zitouni, coming towards Williams, can be seen bravely placing his hand onto the wounded passenger and encouraging him to sit down as he shouted to the assailant and brandished a frying pan.
asserted
he → come → pan
Anthony Williams, who denies 14 counts of attempted murder, pictured on the LNER train just moments before the mass stabbing incident occurred on November 1, 2025
CCTV played to the court showed the moment Williams caused passengers to flee in 'sheer terror' as he walked through a carriage while holding a large knife
Passengers were seen fleeing for the doors on either side of the carriage and hiding under seats in an attempt to stay out of the assailant's way
A second man standing behind Mr Zitouni held a toaster in readiness of attempting to tackle the knifeman.
asserted
man → deny → knifeman
In another clip shown to the jury, which appears to show the moments before the attack began, the assailant can be seen walking into Carriage J and removing a bladed object from his pocket.
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assailant → show → pocket
He holds it in his right hand as he approaches a passenger wearing a hooded jumper from behind - before suddenly stabbing him.
asserted
he → hold → him
Within seconds, dozens of passengers are on their feet and flee towards both exits.
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dozens → flee → exits
Some of the passengers can be seen falling into the seats as they attempt to run.
asserted
they → see → seats
The attacker can then be seen making his way towards the door leading to the next carriage while swinging a huge knife in front of the passengers.
asserted
attacker → see → passengers
Those who are able to are seen fleeing in the opposite direction, the knifeman turning around to watch them as they ran, while still brandishing the weapon in the air.
asserted
they → see → air
In a second clip of carriage J, taken from a different angle, the assailant can be seen from behind calmly walking through the carriage while holding the knife.
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assailant → take → knife
The footage shows those fleeing for their lives ranged from pensioners to a young child.
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those → show → child
The court was told that some of those travelling on the train hid in toilets and store cabinets or under seats, while others showed 'extraordinary bravery' by picking up 'frying pans and toasters' to fend Williams off.
asserted
others → tell → Williams
A court sketch of Anthony Williams, 33, who is accused of embarking on a stabbing rampage
The latter included one passenger who was left with multiple injuries after grappling with Williams, who allegedly asked him: 'Do you want to die?'
uncertain
you → accuse → him
The attack only ended due to the 'quick thinking of the train driver', who diverted the train to Huntingdon, where hundreds of passengers sprinted down the platform before Williams was arrested.
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Williams → end → platform
Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC told Cambridge Crown Court: 'Across the Halloween weekend last year, to the many people he encountered, the defendant Anthony Williams posed a dangerous threat, marauding through towns and cities, on streets and trains alike, armed with a knife.
'
asserted
defendant → tell → knife
He stabbed many, seeking to end their lives with deadly intention, striking out at them when they were defenceless and in fear.
asserted
they → stab → fear
The jury was told that the defendant had admitted attacking people with a knife and 'intended to cause them really serious harm' but denies 14 counts of attempted murder.
Williams appeared in court via videolink from high-security Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire.
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Williams → tell → Nottinghamshire
He wore a standard-issue grey jumper and occasionally put on glasses as he sat in the pale grey room with legal documents in front of him.
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he → wear → him
Assisting him was an intermediary who, the jury was told, was there for 'when the defendant needs help to understand what's being said'.
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what → assist → help
Mr Justice Calver told jurors they would have to decide whether he intended to kill the people he attacked, as the prosecution claim.
uncertain
prosecution → tell → people
The 'rampage' began when the 14-year-old boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, was stabbed at a footbridge in Peterborough on October 31.
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who → begin → October
Two men – Dawid Taborski and William Ogelby – were then attacked nearby although they avoided injury.
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they → attack → injury
A 17-year-old was then stabbed in the face while travelling on the Docklands Light Railway in east London at Pontoon Dock.
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old → stab → Dock
Armed police were called to Huntingdon train station on the evening of November 1 last year
A CCTV image of Williams brandishing a knife inside the Ritzy Barber Shop in Queen's Walk in Peterborough last year - just hours before the train rampage
Williams then boarded an LNER train at 7.26pm on November 1, clutching a 'large kitchen knife and a bottle of fortified tonic wine', where the other ten attempted murders allegedly took place.
Describing passengers' responses when the attack began, Mr Paxton said: 'In sheer terror, the train passengers ran for their lives, hiding away in locked toilets, store cabinets, or under seats until many fleeing the defendant literally ran out of train.
'Trapped and facing the defendant, who had been wielding, slashing out and stabbing with his knife, some sought to defend themselves and others on the train, showing extraordinary bravery in the face of the defendant's onslaught, picking up frying pans or toasters to keep the defendant back, even trying to de-escalate the situation by asking him why was he doing it and telling him that they loved him.
uncertain
they → call → him
'But to no avail, the defendant continued his knife attack – slashing out and stabbing those around him.'
Victims included 'defenceless and powerless' David Presland, 73, who was attacked after he fell on the floor.
Scott Green was sitting with his dog Poppy and was so in 'fear for his own life that he tried to grab the knife blade'.
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he → continue → blade
Another passenger, Kevin Deely, received stab wounds to his scalp and a four-inch deep cut to his stomach.
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passenger → receive → stomach
Describing how there were 'only so many places you can hide' on a moving train, Mr Paxton said some passengers 'stood tall' by 'defending themselves and putting themselves in harm's way to protect strangers'.
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passengers → describe → strangers
These included Stephen Crean, who was 'half in and half out of a buffet serving area' when he decided that the defendant was 'on a mission' and he 'had to try and stop it'.
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he → include → it
CCTV showed the extraordinary scene as he launched himself at the assailant and grappled with him down the carriage, leaving him with wounds to the hand, head and lower back.
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he → show → hand
Earlier, jurors were told they would hear how Williams asked Mr Crean: 'Do you want to die?'
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you → tell → Crean
Train crew member Samir Zitouni tried to use a frying pan to stop Williams, but was stabbed multiple times, the court was told.
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court → try → Williams
The bloody onslaught ended when the train stopped at Huntingdon and Williams was arrested.
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Williams → end → Huntingdon
The jury was told that Williams had admitted affray and possessing a knife in relation to an incident at Ritzy barbershop in Peterborough, which happened shortly after the three alleged attempted murders.
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which → tell → murders
…and 24 more, not listed.
The Aporia
