A football fan who tried to stop a man accused of attempting to murder 10 people on a train told a court the attacker seemed ‘on a mission’ and did not appear angry. Stephen Crean was giving evidence in the trial of Anthony Williams, 33, who denies 10 counts of attempted murder over an attack on the York to London King’s Cross LNER service between Peterborough and Huntingdon on 1 November last year.
In a video recorded interview played to the court, Crean, who was wearing Nottingham Forest clothing, said he had chosen a carriage near the buffet car when a young girl ran past him screaming that there was a man with a big knife. He said Williams asked him, “Do you want to die?”, before producing what Crean described as “quite a big kitchen knife, I’ll never forget it”.
He said he went towards Williams “to stop him, stop him from using that knife, that was the whole point of it”, describing their struggle as “like Come Dancing, we were all over the place”. Crean said his fingers were cut and, after Williams told him to “get your phone”, he locked himself in a toilet, called 999 for “probably the first time in my life” and emerged only when he heard police walkie-talkies.
Williams, of Langford Road in Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder and four other alleged attempted murders in earlier incidents in Peterborough and London. Jurors have already heard accounts from five alleged victims on the train and have been shown CCTV footage.
Prosecutors allege that on 31 October Williams tried to kill three people in Peterborough, and attempted to murder a teenager on a DLR train in east London in the early hours of 1 November. The court has been told that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question; jurors must decide whether he intended to kill. The trial continues.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The verdict rests on whether the jury finds that Williams intended to kill, which is the difference between attempted murder and lesser offences.
- Crean’s account is central witness evidence about how the attack unfolded and how passengers tried to stop it.
- The trial covers 14 charges, including alleged attacks over two days in Peterborough and east London, and will decide whether convictions are returned on all of them.
Background
The attack happened on 1 November last year on a York to London King’s Cross LNER service between Peterborough and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Williams has denied all charges, and the court has been told the case turns on intent rather than on whether he carried out the attacks. The prosecution also alleges earlier attacks on 31 October in Peterborough and on a DLR train in east London in the early hours of 1 November.
Key Perspectives
- Stephen Crean (witness): described Williams as looking normal and not angry but “on a mission”, and said he went towards him to stop the knife attacks.
- Prosecution: alleges Williams attempted to murder 10 passengers on the train and four others in earlier incidents in Peterborough and east London.
- Anthony Williams (defendant): denies all 14 counts of attempted murder.
What to Watch
- Whether the jury concludes Williams intended to kill, the contested element in the trial.
- Further witness evidence from the remaining alleged victims, after accounts from five have already been heard.
- The outcome of the trial at Cambridge Crown Court, which is continuing.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says the trial heard Crean describe the accused man as “on a mission”.BBC London: “A football fan who tried to stop the man accused of trying to kill 10 people on a train said the attacker was "on a mission", a court heard.”
- SupportedThe summary says Crean told Cambridge Crown Court he grappled with Williams.BBC London: “Cambridge Crown Court heard Crean describe his grapple with Williams as "like Come Dancing, we were all over the place"”
- SupportedCrean said the attacker seemed “on a mission” and did not seem angry.BBC London: “Asked about how Williams appeared, Crean said: "100% he was fine, he looked normal, he was just on a mission, he didn't seem angry."”
- SupportedWilliams is accused of attempting to murder 10 people on the train.BBC London: “Williams, 33, of Langford Road in Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder”
- SupportedCrean said Williams asked him, “Do you want to die?”BBC London: “Crean said that Williams said to him, "Do you want to die?"”
- SupportedCrean described the knife as “quite a big kitchen knife, I’ll never forget it”.BBC London: “describing it as "quite a big kitchen knife, I'll never forget it".”
- SupportedCrean said he went towards Williams to stop him using the knife.BBC London: “Crean, who was wearing Nottingham Forest clothing, said he went "to stop him, stop him from using that knife, that was the whole point of it"”
- SupportedCrean compared the struggle to “Come Dancing”.BBC London: “Cambridge Crown Court heard Crean describe his grapple with Williams as "like Come Dancing, we were all over the place"”
- SupportedCrean said Williams told him to “get your phone”.BBC London: “before Williams said "get your phone".”
- SupportedWilliams denies 10 attempted-murder counts and four other alleged attempted murders in earlier incidents in Peterborough and London.BBC London: “Williams, 33, of Langford Road in Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder, and four other alleged attempted murders in earlier incidents in Peterborough and London.”
- SupportedProsecutors allege Williams tried to kill three people in Peterborough on 31 October and attempted to murder a teenager on a DLR train in east London in the early hours of 1 November.BBC London: “Prosecutors further allege that on 31 October, Williams tried to kill three people in Peterborough, before attempting to murder a teenager in the early hours of 1 November on a DLR train in east London.”
- SupportedThe court has been told that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question, while jurors must decide whether he intended to kill.BBC London: “Whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question - the court has been told - but jurors must consider whether he intended to kill.”