Huntingdon suspect ‘slashed man in the face weeks before train rampage’

A taxi passenger needed 15 stitches after he was slashed across the face by a man he believes to be the Huntingdon train knifeman.

Ricky Butcher, 36, was attacked at random as he waited for a cab home after a night out in Peterborough on September 27, the Daily Mail reports.

But just two days after the horrific attack Mr Butcher was told by Cambridgeshire Police – the same force now holding Anthony Williams in custody – that it was closing the case due to insufficient evidence.

Now, police will reinvestigate after witnesses said they were convinced the attacker was the same man held for the Huntingdon train rampage. 

Mr Butcher, an electrician, alleges that Williams lunged at him with a kitchen knife – swiping at his neck.

But the attacker missed, slicing the 36-year-old’s lip instead.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s absolute madness. The police closed my case so quickly without seemingly having a proper trawl through CCTV and making the relevant inquiries.

‘I think the police should have treated my case with much more importance and diligence – had they done so then there probably wouldn’t be people fighting for their lives in hospital.

‘I feel bad for all the other victims, who like me have trauma from this happening.

‘The police could have stopped him a few weeks ago. Instead people’s lives are now changed forever with the events that played out on that train.

‘I really hope someone is held accountable for their actions and the victims of every incident are looked after and protected with any issues they have from the trauma and injuries from this attack.’

Mr Butcher had been out that evening for drinks with his father-and-law and friends.

He booked an Uber home from The Fletton Club at around 8.30pm on Saturday, September 27.

He said a man walked towards him from the other side of the road and was being followed by a couple in a car after he had apparently attacked them moments earlier.

Mr Butcher said: ‘This guy looked a little confused so I shouted out to him “are you okay mate?”

‘He then came towards me and as he did so a car screeched to a halt behind him and someone shouted out “watch out he has a knife”.

‘As they said that he swung at me, aiming for my throat, but I instinctively moved my head back and he missed.

‘But as he swung the knife upwards it caught the inside of my lip. Within seconds blood was pouring from my mouth.’

He continued: ‘I initially thought it was a punch and because I was in shock I just looked at him as he stared back at me and I started laughing.

‘I don’t know why – perhaps he thought I was a nutter – but he turned and sprinted off down the road.

‘A friend of mine chased after him but we stopped because we didn’t want anyone else being hurt.

‘I only saw that he actually had a knife as he was sprinting away.’

Police arrived and took statements – but the following Monday Mr Butcher received a text informing him that the case would be closed.

Police have now apologised and reopened the investigation.

Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with 11 counts of attempted murder after allegedly boarding a train in Peterborough on Saturday evening and stabbing ten passengers.

He is also alleged to have attempted to kill a man hours earlier, after a passenger was stabbed at Pontoon Dock DLR station after 12.45am on November 1.

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