Ryanair Denies Refund to Local Huntingdon Hero Injured โin Train Stabbing
HUNTINGDON, Cambridgeshire – Ryanair is refusing a full refund to Stephen Crean, aโค Huntingdon โresident hailed a hero for โhis bravery during a โmass stabbing on a train last โคSaturday evening, โขpreventing perhaps dozens more injuries.Crean, recovering from multiple stab wounds, was unable to โtravel โon aโฃ pre-booked Ryanair flight and hasโค been told he is ineligible for a refund due to the airline’s fare conditions.
The incident occurred on a London โNorth Easternโ Railway (LNER) โtrain travelling fromโ Doncaster โto London King’sโ Cross.Ten people were โคinjured in the attack. Crean, 32,โฃ confronted theโค assailant, armed โwith โaโฃ large kitchen โknife described as resembling a “Japanese sword,” โฃto โขallow other passengers to seek safety.
“He had a great big oversized โkitchen knife – it was as if it was a Japaneseโค sword โor something. He came towards me and said to me, ‘Doโข you want to die?'” โฃCrean recalled. He successfully โdiverted the attacker’s attention, enabling others to close โa buffet door and hide.โฃ
Crean sustained injuries including stabs to his โleft hand, three to his โคback, one to โhis bottom, โขand twoโฃ to hisโ head. He hid โฃinโ a toilet until armed police arrived, who cautiously apprehendedโ the suspect while ensuring crean’s safety. “They โopened the door justโ for me, it was clever.They didn’t open the whole train,โฃ or else he’s going to get off,” Crean stated.
Following โtreatment โฃat Addenbrooke’s โHospital inโฃ Cambridge,โค where heโ was discharged โSunday morning, Crean discovered Ryanair would not refund his flight. Heโ anticipates needing plastic surgery for injuries to hisโ fingers and has received stitches for wounds to his head, back, and arms. โค”I got caught on my fingers. He took a swing at this, andโฃ a swing at that. I got caught on the headโฆ I was lucky,” he said. “I’mโ goingโ to โneed โขplastic surgery. One finger doesn’t lookโ clever. I’ve had stitches on them all.”
Despite his injuries, Crean expressed a sense โฃofโข duty, stating, “probably not โmanyโ people would’ve doneโ it, but then you’reโฃ leaving people behind you vulnerable.”
A โJustGiving page established by Nottingham Forest fans toโ supportโฃ crean’s โrecovery has raised over โฃยฃ59,000, boosted by a ยฃ10,000 donation from the club itself. Nottingham Forest has also โoffered Crean aโค complimentary season ticket and an invitation to travel with the squadโ to a Europa โขLeague match, including accommodation โฃand access to the director’s box.
Anthony Williams, 32, fromโข Peterborough, has been charged โwith 10 counts of attempted murder inโ connection with the attack.