Huntingdon attack suspect 'stabbed boy, 14, on Friday night in Peterborough', cops believe

The stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough on Friday is one of three knife-related incidents in the city believed to be linked to the Huntingdon train stabbings suspect. Cambridgeshire Police said three knife-related incidents believed to be linked to the Huntingdon train attack suspect, Anthony Williams, happened on Friday and Saturday.

In a statement, the force said: "We are aware of three incidents that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening (31 October) and Saturday morning (1 November). The first incident of a man with a knife at a barbers in Fletton happened at 7.25pm on Friday, but was reported to us at 9.10pm - two hours after the incident occurred. At the time of reporting, the man was no longer there and had not returned, so we did not send officers, but a crime was reported.

"The second incident was reported to us at 9.25am on Saturday again by the barbers in Fletton while the man was still at the scene. Officers were deployed to the location and arrived within 18 minutes.

"Upon searching the area, officers were unable to locate the man or identify him and a crime was raised.

"There was also a third incident that police also believe may be linked which also happened on Friday 31 October at 7.10pm, where a 14-year-old was stabbed by a man with a knife in the city centre. They were taken to Peterborough City Hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.

"The offender had left the scene when the call was made and despite a search of the area by officers and a police dog, the offender was not identified. A crime was raised and an investigation commenced, with scenes of crime attending.

"We are currently reviewing all incidents in the timeframe to understand whether there were any further potential offences. British Transport Police retain primacy for the overall investigation, which will include these three incidents.

"We voluntarily referred ourselves to the IOPC for independent scrutiny of these incidents, as is standard practice in these cases."

Williams appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court today (November 3), charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after several people were stabbed on an LNER train from Doncaster to London on Saturday. He is also charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article.

He was remanded in custody until a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1.