Police missed three chances to stop Huntingdon stabbing suspect as he waved knife around city
The alleged perpetrator of a multiple stabbing was videoed with a blade, with police confirming three incidents took place before the Huntingdon attack.
Police have admitted that they missed three chances to stop the Huntingdon train stabbings suspect the day before the horror attack took place.
Officers say three incidents took place in Cambridgeshire after footage was posted online apparently showing Anthony Williams, 32, entering the Ritzy Barber Shop with a knife in Peterborough on Friday night.
Eleven people were injured on a service between Doncaster and London the next day, on Saturday, November 1.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Constabulary told the Express: "We are aware of three incidents that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening (October 31) and Saturday morning (November 1).
"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 raised.
"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."
They went on: "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," reports the Express.
"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."
The constabulary said they are "currently reviewing all incidents in the timeframe to understand whether there were any further potential offences" and have referred themselves to the IOPC for "independent scrutiny" of the events.
A spokesperson went on: "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."
The Express spoke to a man at Ritzy Barber Shop, who wished not to confirm whether he worked there.
He said when asked about the suspect: "I can't confirm or deny... I can't go into it."
But he added: "He [Williams] was obviously at the barber shop."
As to when he was in the shop, he said: "I can't go into that either."
Anthony Williams has been charged with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed articles following the knife attack on Saturday, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
Officers said the 32-year-old, from Peterborough, is facing an additional charge of attempted murder in relation to an incident on London's DLR network in the early hours of November 1.
Williams appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court this morning, Monday, November 3. He appeared in court handcuffed to two officers and was wearing a grey tracksuit and had a thick, black beard.
The court decided not to grant bail to Williams due to the seriousness of the offences. He was told by Judge Sheraton that he will appear at Cambridge Crown Court on December 1, 2025.