Key Points
- Off-duty police detention officer Jordan Morley was spat at on a Thameslink train, Cambridge Crown Court heard.
- The attack happened shortly after the Peterborough-bound service departed Hitchin station on November 1.
- Prosecuting barrister Christopher Paxton KC read a statement from Mr Morley describing the unprovoked assault to the jury.
- Defendant Anthony Williams pleaded guilty to common assault over the incident between London and Biggleswade.
- Mr Morley reported the assault to the British Transport Police by text message after getting off the train at Biggleswade.
Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) November 3, 2026 – A defendant accused of a train knife attack allegedly “spat at” an off-duty police detention officer who was travelling home on a Thameslink service.
What happened during the Thameslink train incident?
As reported by Alexander Gilham of The Hunts Post, prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC told jurors at Cambridge Crown Court that a man, agreed by both prosecution and defence to be Anthony Williams, “spat at” passenger Jordan Morley on a train travelling towards Peterborough.
The court was informed that Mr Morley, a police detention officer based at Islington Custody in north London, was travelling home after completing his work shift at 6.40am.
He had boarded the 7.16am service at King’s Cross St Pancras station.
The incident took place shortly after the service made a scheduled stop at Hitchin station in Hertfordshire.
As reported by Manchester Evening News, Mr Morley recalled in a written statement read to the jury: “As he was walking past me I felt what I would describe as a spray of spittle land on the left-hand side of my face.”
How did the off-duty officer react to the assault?
The court heard that Mr Morley had no prior interactions with the suspect before the unprovoked incident.
He had his earphones in at the time of the event and noticed the attacker’s lips moving, though he could not hear any words.
The off-duty detention officer stated that he remained silent and was “almost in disbelief that he had spat at him” without any provocation.
After noticing that Williams had taken a seat three or four rows ahead of him, Mr Morley decided to move away.
He alighted from the service when it reached Biggleswade station in Bedfordshire.
Upon exiting the train at 8.18am, Mr Morley sent a text message to the British Transport Police to report the crime.
What formal pleas were entered in court?
As reported by Sam Russell of the Press Association, Williams has formally pleaded guilty to common assault in relation to the incident on the Thameslink train travelling between London and Biggleswade.
The trial continues at Cambridge Crown Court regarding other related charges.
Background of the Thameslink rail incident
The incident formed part of wider ongoing criminal proceedings at Cambridge Crown Court involving Anthony Williams. Rail network safety and police protections on public transport remain central topics of concern across the regional rail services operating between London, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire.
Prediction: How this development affects rail passengers and transport staff
This court development highlights security measures and legal protections surrounding public transport infrastructure. For rail passengers and front-line transport staff, proceedings of this nature underline the enforcement of laws protecting workers and commuters on regional rail lines.
The case reflects how reporting mechanisms, such as text reporting to the British Transport Police, are utilised by passengers and off-duty personnel when incidents occur during train journeys.
