Man who stepped in front of Glasgow train with toddler on shoulders is jailed

Daily Record

a day ago

Frederick Danquah took the toddler to the railway station after he had split up with his partner.
A man who stepped in front of a moving train while carrying a toddler on his shoulders has been jailed for 10 years for attempted murder.
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Frederick Danquah took the two year-old boy to Garrowhill railway station in Glasgow's east-end on July 2, 2023 after he had split from his partner.
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The train struck both, but the youngster's physical injuries were luckily only minor.
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Danquah had earlier that day been spotted carrying the boy as he tried to climb over fence of a bridge overlooking the city's M8 motorway.
The 28 year-old was today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow having been found guilty last month.
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He had lodged a special defence at his trial that he had a mental illness and was unable to appreciate his actions at the time.
The incident had been described as an apparent "murder suicide".
Jurors heard how Danquah had struggled to accept his relationship with his partner was over in 2023.
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She insisted they would not get back together and that she had since met someone else.
He ended up alone with the boy on the day of the murder bid.
At one stage, he wrote what appeared to be a suicide note and posted it on Facebook.
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It included: 'I cannot continue to live in this darkness, I guess this is goodbye.'
He was later seen with the child on a footbridge over the M8 in the city centre. He repeatedly tried to pull himself and the innocent boy over a fence.
Police went on to speak to Danquah, but appeared reassured enough that they left him with the boy.
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But, he went on to make his way to Garrowhill station where what his own lawyer called 'a one-off horror story' occurred.
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CCTV captured Danquah as he had the boy on his shoulders and then stepped in front of a train pulling into the platform.
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An off-duty nurse happened to be at the station and she helped calm the chaotic scenes after what occurred. Mercy crews then arrived. The driver was said to have been traumatised.
The child miraculously suffered only bruising and swelling to his head, back, face and nose.
Danquah, however, had fractures to his spine and jaw.
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The boy's mother later learned of what happened and raced to hospital to see her son.
Recalling his condition, she recalled in court: 'He was lying and could not move his body.
'They did not know at the time if there was anything wrong with him. The nurse said he could hear, but was in shock. He had a lot of bruises.'
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After the incident, Danquah was initially held at a mental health clinic in Glasgow before being discharged.
The court heard today that he was deemed to have an 'adjustment disorder', but was not at a level which absolved him of being criminally responsible.
Gary Allan KC, defending, said Danquah continues to need help with prison 'frightening the living daylights out of him' including him having been physically assaulted.
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The advocate said what happened was 'wholly out of character'.
Mr Allan: 'He has asked me to state how sorry he is that he put the child in the position that he did.'
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Sentencing, Judge Tony Kelly said he had read an emotional impact statement from the boy's mum.
He told Danquah: 'The affect on his mother is profound. She is deeply affected.
She said she felt overwhelmed. She still suffers constant anxiety.
The judge added: 'You endangered the life of the boy, You intended to take his life.You meant to have his mother t o attend his funeral.'
Members of Danquah's family broke down in tears as he led handcuffed to the cells.