Passenger Describes Feeling Like Dying After Being Stabbed on Train Attacked by Accused

According to BBC UK, Scott Bletcher, who was on the York to London King's Cross LNER service on November 1 of last year, recounted to the court that he felt as though he was dying after being stabbed multiple times by a knifeman accused of trying to kill 10 people on the train. The attacks resulted in an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Anthony Williams, 33, residing on Langford Road in Peterborough, denies the 10 counts of attempted murder. Furthermore, Williams faces charges related to four other alleged attempted murders stemming from prior events in Peterborough and London.

Bletcher stated that he was traveling alone after shopping for Christmas items in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, and had been anticipating eating tapas. After passing through Peterborough, he observed people running through the aisle but remained seated, believing there might have been a disagreement, as he was not initially concerned. He then observed a knife held at eye level in front of him and felt trapped with no escape, which was followed by a scratch to his head.

Bletcher reported that he moved his arm to shield his face and stated that nothing was said to him, so he did not respond. The court heard that the victim was subsequently stabbed five more times. Williams then reportedly lowered the knife and moved to the next carriage. Bletcher described feeling a "warm liquid" dripping down his arm. He called 999 to report a man running amidst chaos with a knife, and his call was played to the court, where he was heard saying, "Oh my God he's coming back."

Bletcher hid in a bike rack and, upon reaching Huntingdon, he found police who told him, "Am I glad to see you, I've been stabbed."

He mentioned that he began to feel tired, and the sounds of the sirens seemed muffled, leading him to state, "I thought this is what it feels like to die."

Samir Zitouni, a staff member, was presented to the court, where he stated that he defended himself using a frying pan and maintained that he would not surrender until the train stopped. Zitouni recounted seeing a crowd shouting about a man with a knife and questioned whether the report was accurate. He described himself as moving back and forth like a busy beaver, attempting to secure items like trolleys and pans to protect passengers. Zitouni stated that he told the attacker, "No, man. No, man," and offered him assistance, which he felt was preferable to arguing with him. Jurors had previously heard Zitouni tell the defendant, "We love you, we can help you."

In a separate video-recorded interview, passenger Michael Gawthorpe, who was in the same carriage as Zitouni but was not stabbed by Williams, mentioned that he repeatedly told the attacker to calm down and put the knife down, adding that they all had children. Gawthorpe recalled Williams saying something to the effect of "they're trying to kill me." Gawthorpe also remembered someone handing him a large toaster, which he threw at the attacker, and subsequently thought that the action might have been a mistake.

Another passenger, Christina Jones, demonstrated in a video-recorded interview how she concealed herself behind her handbag, and the court heard that she threw a hot drink at Williams.

Prosecutors allege that in addition to Williams attempting to murder 10 people on the train, he attempted to kill three people in Peterborough on October 31. He is also charged with attempting to murder a teenager on a DLR train in east London in the early hours of November 1.

The court has been informed that the question of whether Williams committed the attacks is not in doubt, but the jurors must determine if he intended to kill. The trial is ongoing.