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Train worker recalls repelling attacker with frying pan

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Rail worker Samir Zitouni confronted a knife-wielding assailant aboard a York to London King's Cross train on 1 November last year, attempting both verbal de-escalation and physical defense with service items. Zitouni suffered two punctured lungs and underwent intensive medical intervention, including chest drains and multiple blood transfusions, following the confrontation. The suspect, Anthony Williams, is currently standing trial facing a total of 14 attempted murder charges spanning the train assault and prior incidents. While the defense does not dispute that Williams conducted the attacks, jurors must weigh the evidence to decide if his actions legally constituted an intention to kill.

Key points

  • The prosecution presented evidence demonstrating that rail staff used available onboard i…: The prosecution presented evidence demonstrating that rail staff used available onboard items like trolleys and pans to protect passengers.
  • Defense arguments do not contest that the defendant carried out the violence, leaving the…: Defense arguments do not contest that the defendant carried out the violence, leaving the jury to resolve the question of murderous intent.
  • Ongoing court proceedings are evaluating testimony from both surviving crew members and i…: Ongoing court proceedings are evaluating testimony from both surviving crew members and injured travelers who witnessed the assault.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

A train staff member who used a frying pan against a man accused of trying to kill 10 people on board said he did not want to "give up until the train stopped", a court has heard.

Samir Zitouni was working on the York to London King's Cross LNER service on 1 November last year when Anthony Williams attacked, leading to an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge Crown Court heard Zitouni said he was trying to hit the knife Williams was holding and "not let him pass".

Williams, 33, of Langford Road in Peterborough, denies 10 counts of attempted murder, and four other alleged attempted murders in earlier incidents in Peterborough and London.

Jurors were played a video interview with Zitouni, who watched on from the public gallery.

He said he saw a crowd of people come through shouting "there's a guy with a knife", to which he said "a guy with a knife, are you sure?".

The court has heard both of Zitouni's lungs had been punctured and he needed four blood transfusions, chest drains and…

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