A British man accused of carrying out a mass stabbing on board a train on Saturday was charged on Monday with 11 counts of attempted murder, including over a separate incident earlier the same day at a train station in east London.
Police said they were also investigating whether there were any links between those incidents and a stabbing in the suspect's hometown of Peterborough the previous night, as well as two other incidents there.
Eleven people were injured in the mass stabbing on the London-bound train, including a member of the train crew hurt while trying to stop the attack, who was still in hospital on Monday, in a critical but stable condition.
Anthony Williams, 32, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until his next court hearing on December 1.
Prosecutors charged him with 11 counts of attempted murder, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of possession of a bladed article.
Ten of the attempted murder charges were linked to the train attack, British Transport Police said, while the eleventh was connected to the incident at the London station.
Police have ruled out terrorism and said the suspect acted alone. They said they were investigating whether other incidents involving a man with a knife in Peterborough, a city on the train's route about 100 miles (160 km) north of London, were linked.
"British Transport Police retain primacy for the overall investigation, which will include these three incidents," Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement.
Officers attended the stabbing of a 14-year-old, who sustained minor injuries, in Peterborough on Friday night, but could not locate the offender, they said. A man also appeared with a knife at a barber's shop in the south of the city on Friday night, and police were called to the same place on Saturday morning.
Scunthorpe United, an English fifth-tier soccer team, said their player Jonathan Gjoshe was one of the victims of the attack and he remained in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Transport minister Heidi Alexander said on Monday the suspect was not known to security services. She declined to comment on whether he was known to mental health services.
Five of the injured had been discharged from hospital by late on Sunday.
The charges stem from a stabbing spree on Saturday evening aboard a train travelling from Doncaster to London. The train had just left Peterborough when police began receiving emergency calls.
He was arrested when the train made an emergency stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, just eight minutes after the first reports.
Passengers described panic as travellers fled through carriages to escape the attacker. The most seriously wounded victim is a member of railway staff who attempted to intervene. Police described his actions as “nothing short of heroic”. He remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
Authorities have increased security at major train stations, including the deployment of armed officers, though police said the attack appeared to be isolated.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May),...
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secre...
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as t...
At least 22 people have been killed - including children - and 35 others injured after a truck carrying Afghan returnees overturned in eastern Afghani...
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged Asian allies to increase military spending, warning of growing concern over China’s rapid military exp...
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged Asian allies to increase military spending, warning of growing concern over China’s rapid military expansion and wider activities in the region.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Three Latvian climbers have died after falling on Mount McKinley in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities and a Latvian climbing organisation have said
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment