Jurors at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday watched video interviews of passengers who were on the London-bound LNER service where Anthony Williams allegedly stabbed ten people in November last year. One passenger told police he initially feared the attacker might be a suicide bomber.
Anthony Williams, 33, of Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder on the train. He also denies four further counts of attempted murder relating to earlier incidents in Peterborough and London.
In the video evidence, passenger Milan Campion told police that he had earlier opened a toilet door and found Williams inside staring at the ground. Campion later heard people shout that there was a man with a knife. He told police he thought it might have been a suicide bomber and said he needed to get as far away as possible to maximise his chance of survival. He said he shouted "it's not worth it" at the attacker, who looked angry. Campion said he concluded the man was not of sound mind.
Another passenger, Dinaria Soares, said she was sitting opposite the first person attacked, Jonathan Gjoshe. She said she was surprised and confused when Williams hit Gjoshe on the shoulder, before realising the attacker was stabbing him with force. Soares said she went to the front of the train, where passengers were trapped.
Malani Ranawake, who was in the carriage where the court heard the attack began, said she witnessed Williams stabbing a man. She said Williams looked at her but did not look cross or angry. She later hid in a toilet.
A further witness, Max Bendel, said in his interview that he saw the attacker pounce on a man and immediately start stabbing him repeatedly with a large kitchen knife.
The court has previously been told that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question; the jury must decide whether he intended to kill. The trial continues.
Analysis
Why This Matters
The trial seeks to establish whether the attack constitutes attempted murder or a lesser offence, hinging on the defendant's mental state and intent.
- The case has drawn attention to the safety of passengers on public transport in the UK.
- The jury's verdict will have significant implications for how the justice system handles defendants with mental health issues in serious violence cases.
Background
Anthony Williams, 33, is on trial at Cambridge Crown Court for stabbing ten people on a London-bound LNER train on 1 November 2025. The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon during the attack. He is also charged with three attempted murders in Peterborough on 31 October and the attempted murder of a teenager at Pontoon Dock DLR station in east London in the early hours of 1 November. Whether he carried out the attacks is not in dispute, but the court must determine whether he intended to kill.
Key Perspectives
Prosecution: Argues Williams intended to kill the 10 people on the train and the four others in the earlier incidents.
Anthony Williams: Denies all 14 counts of attempted murder. The court has heard he has mental health issues which may or may not become relevant to the question of intent.
What to Watch
- The presentation of medical evidence regarding Williams's mental health, which is expected to be central to the defence of intent.
- The judge's legal directions to the jury on the definition of intent and how it relates to the defendant's capacity.
- The jury's verdict, likely to come after a trial expected to last several weeks.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedJurors heard passengers describe the Huntingdon train attack.BBC News: “A passenger on a train where a mass stabbing took place said he initially thought there might have been a suicide bomber, a court has heard.”
- Partly supportedA passenger said he feared a suicide bomber was on board.BBC News: “A passenger on a train where a mass stabbing took place said he initially thought there might have been a suicide bomber, a court has heard.”
- SupportedOn Monday, jurors at Cambridge Crown Court watched video interviews of passengers from the London-bound LNER service.BBC News: “In a video interview played to jurors on Monday, Campion said he got on the train at Grantham”
- SupportedAnthony Williams allegedly stabbed ten people on the train in November last year.The Independent UK: “A passenger who fled from a knifeman on a train where 10 people were stabbed”
- SupportedWilliams, 33, denies ten attempted-murder counts relating to the train and four further counts relating to incidents in Peterborough and London.The Independent UK: “Anthony Williams, 33, denies attempting to murder 10 people on the LNER train. He also denies the attempted murders of three people in Peterborough on 31 October and of a 17-year-old boy at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London in the early hours of 1 November.”
- SupportedCampion told police he thought there might be a suicide bomber and needed to get away to maximise his chance of survival.BBC News: ““I thought it might have been a suicide bomber so I need to get as far away as possible to maximise your chance of survival if it goes off.””
- SupportedCampion said, “it's not worth it” to the attacker.The Independent UK: “Mr Campion said he shouted to the knifeman “it’s not worth it”.”
- SupportedCampion said he opened a toilet door and found Williams inside staring at the ground.BBC News: “The court heard how Campion, who is not one of those Williams is accused of trying to kill, opened a toilet door to find Williams inside. Campion said “he was just sitting on it staring at the ground””
- SupportedSoares said she was opposite Gjoshe, was surprised and confused when Williams hit him, then realised he was stabbing him with force.BBC News: “She said she was “surprised and confused” to see the knifeman “hit [Gjoshe] on the shoulder” before then realising the attacker was stabbing him with “a lot of force”.”
- SupportedRanawake said she saw Williams stabbing a man, that he did not look angry when he looked at her, and that she later hid in a toilet.BBC News: “She said she witnessed him stabbing a man and Williams said “I'm not going to leave anyone”. Ranawake, who later hid in a toilet, said the defendant looked at her but “didn't look cross or angry”.”
- SupportedBendel said the attacker pounced on a man and immediately stabbed him repeatedly with a large kitchen knife.The Independent UK: ““I catch a glimpse of like, a full-size, pretty massive kitchen knife,” he said. “He immediately starts stabbing him repeatedly multiple times.””
- SupportedThe court has been told that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question, and the jury must decide whether he intended to kill.BBC News: “Whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question - the court has been told - but jurors must consider whether he intended to kill.”