Huntingdon train attack suspect refuses to appear in court

Watch: Michelle Dewberry shares emotional footage of Huntingdon train hero - 'I just loved it!'

|

GB NEWS

George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 01/12/2025

- 14:27

Updated: 01/12/2025

- 14:28

An application has been put forward for a psychiatric assessment of Anthony Williams to take place before any pleas are entered

The man accused of carrying out the Huntingdon train attack refused to appear in court this morning.

Anthony Williams was due to enter his plea for the 21 charges in relation to the train attack.


The 32-year-old of Langford Road, Peterborough, was also expected to enter pleas for separate incidents in Peterborough and London in the run up to the attack at Cambridge Crown Court.

Mr Williams was due to appear in court via a video link but refused to attend the hearing.

Williams, who said at an earlier hearing at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court that he is of no fixed abode, is charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after several people were stabbed on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on the evening of November 1.

He is also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm over an alleged attack of a male police officer in custody and with possession of a bladed article on November 1.

Separately, Williams is charged with one count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article over an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station in east London in the early hours of November 1, where a victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife.

At Monday’s hearing, the case was joined together with a set of seven further charges, forming an indictment with a total of 21 counts.

Cambridge Crown Court

Williams refused to appear at Cambridge Crown Court (file pic)

|

PA

Williams is charged with the attempted murders of a 14-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, and the attempted wounding of a 28-year-old man, in Peterborough on October 31.

He is also charged with affray at a barbershop in Peterborough on October 31, and the theft of a pack of knives from an Asda store in Stevenage on October 31.

Williams is charged with the assault of a man on a King’s Cross to Peterborough train on November 1.

He is also charged with possessing a bladed article in a public place at a footbridge near Henry Penn Walk, the Rail World car park and Queen’s Walk, all in Peterborough, on October 31.

Footage from the scene in HuntingdonTen people were taken to hospital following the Huntingdon attack, with another person later presenting themselves to hospital | GETTY

Judge Mark Bishop said a further hearing will take place at Cambridge Crown Court on January 28, and he set a provisional trial date of June 22 2026.

The custody time limit for Williams is currently May 1, so an application for this to be extended will be put forward.

Mr Arnold, on behalf of Williams, said an application has been put forward for a psychiatric assessment to take place before any pleas were entered, which would take up to six weeks.

Williams remains in custody.

More From GB News