Police launch internal review into knife incidents

British Transport Police said multiple people needed hospital treatment following the train attack

A police force has launched an internal review into three knife-related incidents that are being investigated for possible links to the train attack suspect.

Cambridgeshire Police said it was re-examining an attack on a 14-year-old boy and two reports of a knifeman at a barbers' shop in Peterborough between Friday and Saturday.

Darryl Preston, Cambridgeshire's police and crime commissioner, said he asked Simon Megicks, the county's chief constable, to review these incidents which occurred prior to the mass stabbing on board a train on Saturday evening.

Mr Megicks said he had commissioned an internal review into the events and "welcomed this additional scrutiny".

Cambridgeshire Police added that when all three incidents were reported to officers, a "crime was raised" and investigations launched.

Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder related to the Huntingdon train attack, and one further count of attempted murder for a separate stabbing in Silvertown, east London.

The BBC has obtained an image of Anthony Williams in Peterborough the evening before the alleged train attack

On Tuesday, Preston paid tribute to the victims injured in the train attack and called for a "thorough investigation" into the incidents that took place beforehand.

"My thoughts continue to be with the victims who experienced this terrifying attack, their family, their friends and the wider community.

"There continues to be a live criminal investigation into what happened on Saturday night led by the British Transport Police (BTP).

"Cambridgeshire Constabulary has provided updates on the events locally, including possible earlier sightings of the suspect and further offences which may be linked to the named suspect."

Cambridgeshire's Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston described he Huntingdon train attack as "horrific"

Cambridgeshire Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is typical in these cases.

The IOPC, however, said it would not be investigating the incident as "it did not meet the criteria for a valid referral".

• What do we know about the Cambridgeshire train stabbings?

• The 20 terrifying minutes endured by train attack passengers

"As a result of the IOPC decision, I have formally asked the chief constable Simon Megicks to conduct a thorough review of the events which occurred prior to the tragic events of Saturday evening," Preston added.

The findings will be discussed publicly at an upcoming police and crime commissioner accountability meeting once the internal review was complete.

Mr Megicks said: "Yesterday I commissioned an internal review of the events which occurred prior to the tragic events of Saturday evening.

"I recognise the impact this incident has had on all of our community and we have put additional visible patrols across the county."

The Huntingdon train station has reopened following the knife attack on the Saturday

At about 19:25 GMT on Friday a 14-year-old was stabbed in Peterborough city centre, where he sustained minor injuries and was later discharged from hospital.

At 21:10 GMT police received a report of a man with a knife at a barbers' shop in Fletton.

Officers were not deployed because the suspect had already left the scene, but a crime report was recorded, the force said.

The same barbers' shop made a second report the following morning at 09:25 GMT, when the man was reportedly seen again carrying a knife.

Officers arrived at the premises within 18 minutes, but the suspect could not be found.

BTP has since said the three separate knife incidents are being linked with the train attack.

Four people remain in hospital following the train attack, which took place on the 18:25 London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, to London's King's Cross station.

This number includes staff member Samir Zitouni, 48, who has been praised for protecting passengers during the incident.

BTP said he remained "critically unwell, but stable".