Latest news with #FrederickDanquah
Times
16-07-2025
- Times
Man who held toddler in front of train guilty of attempted murder
A man has been found guilty of attempting to murder a toddler by carrying him on to a railway line and holding him in front of a moving train. Frederick Danquah, 28, tried to kill himself and the two-year-old boy in a murder-suicide attempt after being told that his former partner had entered into a new relationship. The High Court in Glasgow was told that he held the child, who was in his care, on his shoulders as he climbed on to the line at Garrowhill railway station on the outskirts of Glasgow in July 2023. Both Danquah and the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were treated in hospital after they were struck by a train. He had lodged a special defence, claiming he was suffering from a mental illness which left him unable to evaluate the consequences of his actions. However, he was found guilty of attempted murder and culpable and reckless conduct at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday. 'Your defence was that you were unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of your actions but the jury believed you had appreciated them,' Tony Kelly, the judge, said. 'This is grave — to cause harm to a child is beyond comprehension. This was described in court as a murder-suicide.' Kelly ruled that Danquah should be held in prison until he is sentenced. 'In light of what you have been convicted of, you will be remanded in custody as your bail is no longer appropriate,' he said. The court was told that Danquah and his former partner Justina Paulaskatie, 26, split up in February 2023 but continued to live together. On the day of the incident she spoke about her new relationship with a mutual colleague from an Amazon warehouse in Lanarkshire. Paulaskatie then made it clear there was no chance of reconciliation. It prompted Danquah to take the child and post an apparent suicide note on social media. It read: 'I should have tried harder, I never knew what I had until I lost it, too little too late I guess, I can't continue to live in this darkness, I guess this is goodbye.' Danquah was later spotted by witnesses trying to climb the fence of a footbridge which overlooks the M8 motorway in the Anderston area of Glasgow. Jurors were also told that Danquah tried to pull himself and the boy over the fence. Danquah was later spoken to by a police officer and allowed to leave the area. He then made his way to Garrowhill railway station, where the incident occurred at about 7.20pm. The boy was found to have a rucksack on his back with a handwritten note inside it. The toddler and Danquah were taken to hospital where the boy was found to have suffered surface wounds to his forehead, head, back, face and nose. Danquah sustained fractures to his lower spine and his jaw. Both have since made a full recovery. Danquah was initially held under observation at the Rowanbank mental health clinic but was later discharged. Kelly deferred sentence until next month and called for background reports to be compiled.
BBC News
16-07-2025
- BBC News
Man tried to kill child by stepping in front of moving train
A man who stepped in front of a moving train while carrying a toddler on his shoulders has been found guilty of attempting to murder the child. Frederick Danquah, 28, took the two-year-old to Glasgow's Garrowhill station in July 2023 after he was told that his relationship with his former partner was were struck by the train and taken to hospital but the toddler was left with minor grazes and has since fully recovered. Danquah claimed he was unable to appreciate his actions due to mental illness but was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow. Remanding him in custody ahead of sentencing, judge Tony Kelly said the case had been described in court as a "murder suicide"."This is grave - to cause harm to a child is beyond comprehension," he told Danquah. The trial heard that Danquah had split up with his partner several months earlier but they continued to live together. On the day of the incident, she had discussed a new relationship she was in and made it clear they were not getting back together. Danquah then collected the child from another address in the city and posted a message on Facebook saying he could not "continue to live in this darkness". Some time later he was spotted trying to pull himself and the child over a fence on a footbridge near the M8 motorway in the Anderston area of the city. He was spoken to by a police officer and allowed to leave the then made his way with the toddler to the Garrowhill station where the incident occurred at about 19:20 which left both of them injured. The child suffered grazes or bruises on the forehead, head, back, face and nose - and was described as looking shocked in the hospital. Danquah sustained fractures to his lower spine and his first offender, of the city's Lambhill, was also convicted of culpable and reckless will be sentenced next month after judge has considered background reports.
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Man tried to kill toddler, 2, by walking in front of moving train in attempted ‘murder-suicide' at Glasgow station
TRACK HORROR Man tried to kill toddler, 2, by walking in front of moving train in attempted 'murder-suicide' at Glasgow station Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAN who attempted to murder a toddler by holding him in front of a moving train is behind bars. Frederick Danquah, 28, assaulted the two-year-old who was in his care at Glasgow's Garrowhill train station on July 2 2023. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Danquah took the boy after he was told that his relationship with his former partner was over for good. Danquah later held the boy on his shoulders as the train struck them both which put them in hospital. The toddler luckily escaped with minor grazes which he has since recovered from. Danquah was found guilty today/yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow of attempted murder. The first offender, of the city's Lambhill, was also convicted of culpable and reckless conduct. Danquah had lodged a special defence that he was unable to appreciate his actions due to a mental illness. Judge Tony Kelly said: "This was described in court as a murder suicide. "Your defence was that you were unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of your actions - the jury believe you had appreciated them. "This is grave - to cause harm to a child is beyond comprehension. "In light of what you have been convicted of, you will be remanded in custody as your bail is no longer appropriate." Evil killer who beheaded girlfriend Phoenix Spencer Horn & tried to dismember her body at Scots flat jailed for 23 years The court heard that Danquah and ex-partner Justina Paulaskatie, 26, split up in February 2023 but continued to live together. On the day of the incident the pair spoke about her new relationship with their mutual colleague from an Amazon warehouse in Lanarkshire. Miss Paulaskatie told an "unhappy" Danquah during the conversation that they would not be getting back together. Danquah then left the house they still resided in together and went to his parents' home where the child was staying. Danquah meantime wrote an apparent suicide note which was posted to his Facebook page. It read: 'I should have tried harder, I never knew what I had until I lost it, too little too late I guess, I can't continue to live in this darkness, I guess this is goodbye.' Around 4.30pm that day, Danquah met and spoke with his future brother-in-law Victor Oso, 29, north of Glasgow city centre while he initially held the boy on his shoulders. The Virgin Money employee told the court in his evidence that Danquah asked him to "look after my sister." Danquah was later spotted by witnesses trying to climb the fence of a footbridge which overlooks the M8 motorway in the city's Anderston. Jurors were also told that Danquah tried to pull himself and the boy over the fence. Danquah was later spoken to by a police officer and allowed to leave the area. Danquah then made his east to Garrowhill train station where the incident occurred around 7.20pm. The boy was found to have a rucksack on his back with a handwritten note inside of it. The toddler and Danquah were taken to hospital where the boy was found to have suffered surface wounds to his forehead, head, back, face and nose. Danquah meantime sustained fractures to his lower spine and his jaw. Miss Paulaskatie meantime was worried about Danquah after she read the Facebook post. She and a friend went looking for him in their local area of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, before they reported the Facebook post to the police. Miss Paulaskatie was later informed about the train incident and visited the boy in hospital. Prosecutor Michael Macintosh asked Miss Paulaskatie what condition the boy was in. She replied: 'He was lying and he couldn't move his body. 'They didn't know if there was anything wrong with him - he wasn't awake but he kind of was as his eyes were half open. 'The nurse said he could hear but he was in shock - he had a lot of bruises.' Miss Paulaskatie stated that the boy has since recovered from his injuries. Danquah was initially held under observation at the Rowanbank mental health clinic but was later discharged. He was ordered by the court not to contact Miss Paulaskatie as part of his bail conditions. The court was shown a lengthy Merry Christmas message allegedly sent to Miss Paulaskatie in which Danquah apologised for what happened. Gary Allan KC, defending, asked the witness if Danquah looked after the boy well while in his care. She replied: 'Yes.' Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month.
