Two police officers are to face gross misconduct hearings following their handling of an alleged assault that occurred weeks before the mass stabbings on a train service in Huntingdon. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is overseeing the disciplinary proceedings after a complaint was made regarding the initial investigation.
One constable is accused of failing to conduct appropriate inquiries into a reported attack on September 27 of the previous year, which left Ricky Butcher, 36, with facial injuries requiring 15 stitches. According to reports, the victim received a message from Cambridgeshire Police two days later stating the case was being closed due to insufficient evidence for a likely arrest. Butcher expressed dismay at the swift closure of his case, suggesting a lack of thorough CCTV review and investigation.
An investigation by the IOPC began after a referral from Cambridgeshire Police on November 10. The watchdog's director of engagement, Emily Barry, stated that while the officers will face disciplinary proceedings, it is up to the force to organize the hearing and for the misconduct panel to determine if the allegations of gross misconduct are proven.
The accused officers, both constables, are also alleged to have concealed their actions by falsely claiming no CCTV footage was available and including inaccurate information in a crime report. The IOPC confirmed that the parties involved have been notified of their decision.
This case precedes the November 1 incident on a train service from Doncaster to London's King's Cross, which was halted at Huntingdon station. Anthony Williams, 32, was subsequently charged with ten counts of attempted murder in relation to the train attack. He also faces charges for three additional attempted murders, including that of a passenger at Pontoon Dock DLR station and a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough on the day prior to the train incident. Williams is also charged with affray at a Peterborough barber's on October 31.
Williams' legal proceedings have seen delays. A hearing in February indicated he had been transferred to a psychiatric intensive unit. By April, a further hearing at Cambridge Crown Court found him fit to plead, but additional psychiatric assessments necessitated a delay in his trial, which had been scheduled for June 22 and is now set for October 26. He is due to stand trial in connection with the Huntingdon train attack and other incidents occurring in the weeks prior.
Cambridgeshire Police have been contacted for comment.