Ryanair have explained why they won’t be refunding the brave football fan who fought back during the horrific Huntingdon knife attack on Saturday 1 November.
A 32-year-old man named Anthony Williams has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article in relation to the stabbing, which took place on a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service from Doncaster to King’s Cross.
Several people were left with life-threatening injuries in the aftermath of the attack, but the story of one heroic passenger onboard the service has since surfaced, with others claiming he’s the reason they’re alive at all.
Police managed to apprehend the suspect after the train made an emergency stop in Huntingdon, using a taser.
The Nottingham Forest fan put his life at risk for the benefit of other passengers (Facebook)
Stephen Crean, 61, was stabbed several times as he struggled to protect other passengers onboard with nothing but his fists, as the Nottingham Forest fan was on his way back to his London Home from the City Ground following his club’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
Along with a rail worke,r who also tried to stand up to the perpetrator, Crean was even threatened with the words: “Do you want to die?”
Describing the weapon ‘as if it was a Japanese sword or something’, he remembered fighting back as ‘families, women, and young lads’ ran past him into the buffet car before locking the doors.
Crean would be stabbed in his left hand, three times in his back, once on his bottom and twice in his head in the scuffle with the suspect, as he has been crowned as a national hero.
The Reds fan was due to fly out to Austria on Wednesday (5 November) this week as the side were set to face Sturm Graz in the Europa League, in what is the club’s first European campaign in 30 years.
But unfortunately, due to the injuries he sustained, the footy fan was left unable to travel.
Despite the conditions, Ryanair have refused to refund the Brit, advising that he should have taken out travel insurance to protect from such losses.
“All Ryanair air fares are non-refundable, which is why we strongly recommend passengers take out travel insurance in order to protect themselves if they can’t travel,” the airline said in a statement to Nottinghamshire Live.
The 61-year-old has been offered a trip to Forest’s next European game (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
One of his closest friends, Philip Chambers, said: “It’s shocking what Ryanair have done and Stephen is gutted he can’t come.”
Another fan named Kevin George pointed out: “He put his life on the line to protect other people and Ryanair’s response is absolutely disgusting,” saying that he hopes fan ‘will start to boycott the airline’ after they refused to refund Crean.
Some Forest fans set up a JustGiving page to raise funds to help Crean in his recovery, with the club themselves making a £10,000 donation as the total nears £60,000.
It was also claimed by talkSPORT reporter Max Scott that Nottingham Forest have offered Crean a complimentary Season Ticket for next season and a special trip to the side’s next European tie.
“The club have invited him to fly with the squad on a private charter to a Europa League fixture, to stay at the team hotel and watch the game with the Forest delegation in the directors box,” he said on X.
