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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
14-07-2025
- BBC News
Man jailed for brutal murder of girlfriend
A man has been jailed for life for the brutal murder of his girlfriend at their home in South Lanarkshire. Ewan Methven admitted the violent attack on 21-year-old Phoenix Spencer-Horn at a flat in Glen Lee, East Kilbride, in November 2024. The 27-year-old had attempted to defeat the ends of justice by covering up the crime and pretending to her family that she was still alive. Methven was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow. WARNING: This article contains distressing details. Sentencing Methven, judge Lord Matthews told him he had "rarely heard such outpourings of grief as in the victim impact statements". He said: "The sadness and deep sense of loss (the family) all feel and continue to feel because of what you did. "You were a trusted member of her family and you betrayed that trust and robbed her of a life in the cruelest way. "Not content with what you did to her, you robbed her of all dignity in death by decapitating her and tried to dismember her in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice. "The way you treated her after her death meant that her family didn't have the comfort of saying goodbye to her." In a letter to the judge, Methven wrote: "I know how loved Phoenix was and how she made her family complete. I cannot believe I have taken her from them." Prosecutors had told the court that Methven choked Ms Spencer-Horn before severing her head and trying to remove her limbs and torso from her body. Earlier that day, Methven, who worked as a postman, had complained to his girlfriend that her waitress shifts made him "lonely". She had exchanged messages with her mother, Alison Spencer, at 21:37 saying they were eating dinner. The couple had been together for two years and met at a family party, the court was told. Around midnight, a downstairs neighbour heard "a loud noise and hurried footsteps" which coincided with increased activity recorded on a phone app measuring Methven's steps. He had attacked Ms Spencer-Horn with three knives, stabbing her 20 times. The fatal stab wound was to the chest. There were others in that area as well as to the face and buttocks. Methven tried to cover up the killing for two days. He spent the weekend driving Ms Spencer-Horn's red Corsa, scrolling through her phone and searching 170 times for internet pornography, as well as making several attempts to buy cocaine, according to prosecutors. He also repeatedly pretended in texts to his victim's mother that her daughter was "alive and well". During an earlier hearing, prosecutor Christopher McKenna said: "The accused murdered his girlfriend, Phoenix Spencer-Horn, in the top-floor flat they shared. "Late on Saturday 16 November, he strangled her and stabbed her. He dialled 999 but not until 18 November. "Her mutilated and decapitated body was discovered only on 18 November." The court heard that Ms Spencer-Horn had seen her mother the day before she was killed and had been in good spirits at work the day she was murdered. In a 999 call, Methven claimed that the murder happened during a psychotic episode induced by cocaine, alcohol and steroids - which he claimed he thought had been spiked. Facebook He told the operator he had been "trying to muster up the courage to phone" and that he had "totally blacked out through the thing". The court heard a delivery driver reported Methven "did not appear to be drunk or under the influence" at 20:00 on the night of the murder. Police arrived at the flat and found Ms Spencer-Horn's body covered up in the hallway next to two blood-stained knives. Another bloodied knife was found in the bathroom. Methven was described as "calm". Upon his arrest, he told officers: "I could not stay here with her like that. I tried to dismember her. I moved her from the bath and put her there." After he was put in a police cell, he said: "I guess this is what my next 25 years look like." His KC Tony Graham said Phoenix's family and friends were likely to regard Methven as the "personification of evil". Following Ms Spencer-Horn's death, a fundraising page amassed thousands of pounds to help with funeral costs. Her family went on to donate much of it to the Women's Aid charity. Its Glasgow branch thanked the family, saying the cash would be used to protect others and continue her legacy. "Her name, Phoenix, now stands for more than loss. It stands for action. For change. For refusing to let her story end in silence," the charity posted on social media. "This is what it means to rise from the ashes. To take this devastating crime and use it to protect others. "Phoenix should still be here. But her legacy is one that's lifting others up, and that matters. Turning pain into action. Refusing to let her name be forgotten."
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Evil boyfriend who murdered Phoenix Spencer-Horn 'robbing her of all dignity in death' jailed for 23 years
A man who brutally murdered his girlfriend before decapitating her has been jailed for 23 years. Ewan Methven killed Phoenix Spencer-Horn at their home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, last November. The 27 year-old postman later dialled 999 himself insisting he had a drug-induced blackout and could not remember what he had done. But it emerged that after stabbing the 21-year-old to death, he mutilated her body, pretended to her mother she was still alive while also trawling the internet for pornography for hours. Methven admitted to the gruesome murder as he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow. Judge Lord Matthews ordered Methven to spend at least 23 years behind bars before he can be considered for parole. The judge said: 'You pleaded guilty to a dreadful crime, namely the murder of Phoenix Spencer-Horn who was a much loved and sorely missed daughter, sister, niece cousin and friend. 'At age 21 and 134 days she was standing at the threshold of what should have been a long fulfilling life. 'You were a trusted member of her family and you betrayed that trust and robbed her of a life in the cruellest way. 'Not content with what you did to her, you robbed her of all dignity in death by decapitating her and tried to dismember her in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice. 'I have rarely read such outpourings of grief as are contained in the Victim Impact Statements from her family, who have endeavoured to put into words what can never truly be encapsulated, the sadness and the deep sense of loss they all feel and will continue to feel thanks to what you did. 'The way you treated her after her death meant that her family didn't have the comfort of saying goodbye to her. 'No punishment I can inflect or what I can say or do can be enough and the only sentence that I can impose is life.' Members of Phoenix's grieving relatives were at the sentencing. The couple had started dating two years before the killing. They had recently moved into the top floor one-bedroom flat in East Kilbride. Methven was employed by the Royal Mail while Ms Spencer-Horn - known as 'Phe' - held part times jobs at both the Strathaven Hotel and a local coffee shop. She had been working on November 16 - she was described as in 'good spirits'. Methven had texted her during her shift complaining of feeling 'lonely' due to her hours and she apologised to her boyfriend. The postman had also been working that morning. He told a colleague he was then going home to 'chill'. He ordered a takeaway for the couple. The young woman had contacted her mother at 9.37pm stating she was at home having dinner. That was the last communication she had with her daughter. It was around midnight that a downstairs neighbour heard 'loud noise and hurried footsteps'. Prosecutor Chris McKenna said: 'Around, or shortly after midnight on November 16 through to November 17, Methven attacked Phoenix by compressing her neck and repeatedly stabbing her to the head and body.' The court then heard of Methven's sick behaviour as his girlfriend lay dead including hacking at her with knives. He repeatedly arranged to buy drugs by phone. Ms Spencer-Horn's mother Alison Spencer had also tried contacting her daughter on the morning of November 17. Methven instead got in touch initially claiming 'Phe is not up yet' and that he would get her to message when she was. The sick killer then later pretended to be his girlfriend and sent a text stating: 'Hey sorry I've just woken up xxx.' Another claimed Ms Spencer-Horn was 'all good'. Minutes after this, Methven logged on to the adult websites. Mr McKenna said: 'Throughout the day on November 17, analysis of his phone and search history revealed that, for prolonged period over several hours, he accessed pornography from 8.12am through to 6.39pm. 'He was noted to have accessed a pornographic video site 170 times.' Concerns were raised when Ms Spencer-Horn did not turn up for work on November 18. Methen dialled 999 that afternoon stating he had had 'a drug induced psychotic break' and that he had 'killed' his girlfriend. He told the operator: 'The past day I have been trying to kind of muster up the courage to phone. 'I totally blacked out through the full thing.' He mentioned having 'stabbed' and 'choked' her. Asked by an officer who came on the line if she could still be alive, Methven replied: 'I know she is dead, mate - she is dead.' Police soon arrived and made the grim discovery. Mr McKenna told the court: 'Phoenix's naked and mutilated body with her head decapitated was discovered by police covered up within the hall of their home. 'An attempt had also been made by him to sever her torso, right wrist and ankle from her body. 'There were two bloodstained knives lying next to the mutilated body. A further bloodstained knife was found discarded in the bedroom.' Among the remarks Methven made on his arrest were: 'I could not stay here with her like that. I tried to dismember her. I moved her from the bath and put her there.' Methven also pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice including the mutilation of Phoenix's body and lying to her mother. His KC Tony Graham yesterday told the sentencing that he was 'unable to offer an explanation to why the course of events led to her death other than his admission of drugs'. The advocate quoted Methven who said: 'I know how loved she was and how she made her family complete and I can't believe I took her from them.' Mr Graham added: 'He appreciates in the whole circumstances that during the two year relationship he was adopted [by her family] and to that family he delivered the ultimate betrayal.'
Sky News
14-07-2025
- Sky News
Postman who murdered and beheaded girlfriend jailed for at least 23 years
Warning: This article contains details readers may find distressing. An "evil" postman who moaned about being lonely hours before he severed his girlfriend's head and tried to dismember her body has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years. Ewan Methven murdered 21-year-old Phoenix Spencer-Horn in the flat they shared in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, in November last year. The High Court in Glasgow heard the killer dumped his partner's body parts in their hallway and failed to call emergency services for two days. The 27-year-old then bought drugs, watched pornography and sent sickening texts to Phoenix's worried mum pretending she was still alive. Phoenix was stabbed 20 times - including 10 times in the face - using three knives in an attack that unfolded after she returned from her waitressing job in Lanarkshire. The 21-year-old had described Methven as her "soulmate" on social media, saying in one TikTok video: "Life is so much more beautiful and full of colour with you." A few months later she was murdered by the same man she had been in a relationship with for two years. Methven received a life sentence with at least 23 years behind bars when he retuned to the dock on Monday. The judge, Lord Matthews, described it as a "dreadful crime". He told Methven: "You were a trusted member of her family, but you betrayed that trust and robbed her of life in the cruellest way. "Not content with what you had done to her, you robbed her of all dignity in death by decapitating her and trying to dismember her in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice." Lord Matthews highlighted victim impact statements supplied by Phoenix's family and said he had "rarely read such outpourings of grief". The judge said: "The way you treated this innocent young woman after her death meant that her family did not even have the comfort of saying goodbye to her." He added: "I have this morning seen a letter written by you, but it answers none of the questions which must be plaguing the family. You blame the effect of substances but that is no excuse." 'Personification of evil' Sky News has interviewed the couple's neighbour who lives directly next door. Toni Brown, 25, described the horror of discovering what happened. She said: "I think I stayed out of the house for about a week after that. I couldn't even sit. "It's horrific. It gives me shivers thinking about it. It is crazy to think I stayed next door to a monster like that. "What scares me the most is knowing she was lay there and I was in here oblivious." Asked whether she heard any noises or violence around the time of the murder, Ms Brown said: "There was a bad smell in my house in the early hours of the morning she was found. "There was a bad smell in my kitchen basically where the walls join together." Methven's own defence lawyer told the court that society will see the killer as the "personification of evil". When he eventually called 999, he claimed to have suffered a drug-induced blackout during the violent killing. Another life lost to gender-based violence The case has raised questions once again about the growing prevalence of gender-based violence. Fiona Drouet's daughter Emily was 18 when she took her own life at university in Aberdeen in 2016, days after being choked and slapped by her ex-boyfriend. Angus Milligan was later convicted of physical and psychological abuse. Ms Drouet, who now campaigns on violence against women across the UK and Ireland, has set up a charity called Emily's Test in her daughter's name. Reacting to the death of Ms Spencer-Horn, Ms Drouet told Sky News: "There is another mother and father that have just been plunged into utter hell. "Somebody once said to me that if God came to you and said, 'I am going to give you this beautiful daughter, but you'll only have her for 18 years and then we need to take her back, would you still want her?' and I would take those 18 years and go through the pain rather than have nothing. "Although just now that probably offers no words of comfort for Phoenix's parents, maybe one day it can."
