Police believed Huntingdon train attacker had schizophrenia, jury told

Police dealing with a man accused of trying to kill 10 people on a train noted he had schizophrenia following his arrest, a court has been told.

Anthony Williams denies attempting to murder passengers and staff on a London-bound train, which made an emergency stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on 1 November last year.

Cambridge Crown Court heard PC Caitlin Brown, who was involved in transporting Williams to hospital then to the police station, said he "appeared to be talking to himself" and spoke about the devil.

Williams, 33, of Langford Road in Peterborough, also denies four other counts of attempted murder related to earlier attacks in Peterborough and London.

Jurors were shown footage of Williams' arrest in the car park of Huntingdon railway station, and the court heard a Taser and a baton gun - which fires less lethal objects - were used against the defendant.

In a statement read to court, the arresting officer said Williams had said something along the lines of "kill me, kill me".

PC Matt Panks, another officer involved in transporting Williams, said in his statement he saw the suspect "acting strangely, appeared completely unphased by what had occurred... he was rocking and laughing".

He said he heard Williams state, "Do you reckon it was worth it?", and he repeated it again, before reminding him he was under caution.

Sgt James Cox, who was custody sergeant at Parkside police station in Cambridge when Williams was arrested, gave evidence in person to the jury.

The court heard Williams was "treated as a vulnerable adult" and he authorised him to be supported by an appropriate adult.

Jurors heard Williams had officers constantly on watch.

Running Sgt Cox through the detention log, Gillian Jones KC, representing Williams, said: "It was reported to you that [Williams] suffers from psychosis, wasn't it."

Cox replied: "I believe so, yes."

The barrister said: "It was reported to you that he took medication."

Cox again replied: "I believe so, yes."

He said it was his assessment Williams "didn't appear to be intoxicated", and the court heard he was informed by escorting officers "Mr Williams suffered from schizophrenia".

The court heard it was determined the detainee was not fit to be interviewed.

Jones said a note from a healthcare worker in custody logs read that Williams "appeared to be responding to voices".

She told the court it said Williams "laughed", agreed when asked if he was hearing any voices, and when asked what the voices were saying, "he smiled and said 'lots of things'".

Jurors have also seen CCTV footage of Williams punching an officer in the face in the early hours of 2 November, and heard he was observed to be "climbing on his toilet several times and stroking the air vent".

The following afternoon, a forensic psychiatrist advised he observed "active psychotic symptoms".

The court heard Williams was never interviewed about the allegations.