A football supporter who intervened during a mass stabbing on a passenger train has told a court that the man accused of attempting to kill 10 people appeared calm and purposeful, despite wielding a knife. According to BBC News, Stephen Crean testified at Cambridge Crown Court that he attempted to disarm Anthony Williams during the attack on an LNER service between Peterborough and Huntingdon on 1 November 2025.
Crean described his physical struggle with Williams as chaotic, comparing it to a dance competition. He sustained cuts to his fingers during the confrontation before managing to lock himself in a toilet and call emergency services. Williams, 33, of Langford Road in Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder related to the train incident, as well as four further alleged attempted murders in separate incidents across Peterborough and London.
In a video-recorded interview presented to the jury, Crean explained that he had deliberately selected his carriage on the York to London King's Cross service because of its proximity to the buffet car, where he purchased a meal deal for £6. A young girl ran past him warning that a man was carrying a "big knife", prompting him to investigate.
Jurors were shown CCTV footage placing Crean near the buffet car door when he encountered Williams. According to Crean's account, Williams posed a direct threat by asking, "Do you want to die?" before producing what Crean described as a substantial kitchen knife. Crean recalled that passengers were struggling to secure the buffet door, but once he heard it click shut, he moved towards Williams to prevent further harm.
Wearing Nottingham Forest clothing, Crean engaged Williams in a physical struggle to stop him from using the blade. The attacker twisted and turned the knife repeatedly, cutting Crean's fingers in the process. After breaking free, Crean managed to lock himself inside a toilet, where he smiled and made a dismissive gesture before closing the door.
Crean then made an emergency call, describing it as probably the first time he had ever contacted the police. He remained in the locked toilet until he heard police walkie-talkies, indicating that officers had arrived at the scene. When asked to characterise Williams's demeanour during the attack, Crean stated: "100% he was fine, he looked normal, he was just on a mission, he didn't seem angry."
The prosecution has identified nine other alleged victims on the train: Raza Aslam, Sachin Balakrishnan, Scott Bletcher, Kevin Deely, Scott Green, Jonathan Gjoshe, Michael Paffett, David Presland and Samir Zitouni. According to ITV News, Scunthorpe United player Jonathan Gjoshe described being stabbed and characterised the pain as resembling an "electric shock."
Beyond the train attack, Williams faces allegations of attempting to murder three people in Peterborough on 31 October 2025. The BBC also reported that jurors heard evidence about an alleged attack on 17-year-old Isaiah Idris on a DLR train in east London in the early hours of 1 November, during which Williams allegedly believed Idris was "the devil."
The court has been informed that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not disputed; the critical question for jurors is whether he harboured the intention to kill. A jury of three women and nine men will determine this central issue. Williams is appearing via video link from Rampton Hospital to facilitate his effective participation in the trial while avoiding the burden of a four-hour round trip to court.
What happens next?
The trial was ongoing as of 5 November 2025, with further witness testimony expected to continue in the coming days.
