Woman held in King's Cross Tube train murder inquiry (25/10/10)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A 34-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man died falling under a London Underground train.

British Transport Police were called to King's Cross station in central London on Monday evening to reports a man was under a Piccadilly Line train.

Murder detectives are working to identify him and trace his next-of-kin.

The woman, from the Cricklewood area of north London, was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody.

The man is thought to be middle-aged, police said.

Det Supt Ashley Croft said: "This happened at a busy time during the evening commute and I appeal to anyone who saw what happened on the eastbound platform of the Piccadilly line to get in contact with us. I would like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding, as well as all of the London Underground staff who assisted the emergency services in dealing with what happened in a professional and dignified manner."

[Phil]

Crikey. Presumably this is the same story as that which appeared on the (excellent, imho) "Londonist" website earlier today. A heck of a way to treat a friend, is all I can say 

http://londonist.com

Arrest Made After Passenger "Pushed Under Train"

A 34-year old woman was arrested last night on suspicion of murder, after a passenger was hit and killed by a train on the eastbound Piccadilly line platform at Kings Cross station. Speaking to the Telegraph, an eyewitness reports that the pair, who appeared to be friends, were "pushing and pulling as a joke" as a train pulled in, before one of them fell onto the track. The victim has not been identified, and police are appealing for any other witnesses to come forward; call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 if you saw anything.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Independent:

Man in women's clothing 'pushed' under Tube train

A woman was being questioned on suspicion of murder last night after a man wearing women's clothes was allegedly pushed to his death under a rush-hour Tube train.

Hundreds of horrified commuters watched as the victim, who was in his sixties, fell from the westbound Piccadilly line platform into the path of a train at King's Cross, just after 6.30pm on Monday.

Police were last night still working to confirm the victim's identity and inform his next of kin, but he is thought to have been 63 years old and from central London.

A 34-year-old woman from Cricklewood, north London, was detained by a fellow passenger until police arrived. She was arrested on suspicion of murder and remained in custody last night.

Reports from witnesses suggested that the victim and the suspect knew each other and had been seen "pushing and pulling as a joke", before the train pulled in.

The incident caused lengthy delays and 172 passengers from one train had to be walked back through tunnels to safety.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the London Evening Standard:

Woman accused of pushing man under Tube train was 'hyper', says witness

A witness today described the moment a man in women's clothes was allegedly pushed on to the tracks in front of a Tube train.

Emma Collett said the victim and the suspect, a woman, were ^hyper^ and talking animatedly before the tragedy on the westbound Piccadilly Line platform at King's Cross station at about 6.30pm on Monday.

The victim, a 63-year-old man from central London, has not been named by police. His next of kin have been informed. A 34-year-old woman was being questioned in custody today. Police said they were still treating it as a murder inquiry.

It is unclear if the victim was transgender or dressed up for a night out. He was white, about 5ft 6in, and wore tight jeans or leggings and an orange or red top, with shoulder-length hair. Police would not say if it was a wig. The victim and his companion were not married and were not believed to be in a long-term relationship.

Miss Collett, 21, was going home to Hounslow from her work at a Clerkenwell architecture practice when she noticed them. Returning to the scene yesterday, she said: ^There were only 30 or 40 people on the platform and as I felt the rumble of the next train coming, I heard behind me these two very hyper women who were waltzing on to the platform. They were dressed up as if they were going out, completely different to everyone else at that time of day.

^The women were very excited about something, just laughing, like when girls come out of a nightclub, caught up in their own moment. They were both very skinny.

^Suddenly, the taller woman had her right arm in the air and the shorter one had fallen on to the tracks. The taller one was screaming, she was hysterical.^ The victim fell across the rails with his head near the wall for one or two seconds before the train arrived. Miss Collett said: ^There were no sparks, nothing. It was hard to distinguish from the train noise and the impact. It was like nothing was there when the train went straight over. The first carriage completely rolled over her before it stopped.

^A man next to me grabbed the woman on the platform and said: What are you doing?' and pulled her down to the ground, sitting on her for three to five minutes so she couldn't get away until the police arrived. The woman he was with pressed the emergency button and station staff were there within seconds. It was so shocking, people were close to tears. I couldn't sleep afterwards.^

Architect Kaustubh Raut, 30, from Finsbury Park, added: ^As I came down the steps all I could hear was this awful screaming. I looked on the westbound platform and there were men and women shielding their eyes with their hands.^

King's Cross station was evacuated and the Piccadilly line partially suspended after the man's death. A total of 172 passengers stranded on trains were led to safety through tunnels.

Anyone with information should call BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) on 0800 40 50 40.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Press Association:

Woman charged with Tube push murder

A 34-year-old woman has been charged with the murder of a 63-year-old man who was apparently pushed under a Tube train while wearing women's clothes.
The victim, from central London, was struck by a train at King's Cross underground station at rush hour on Monday evening.
His companion, from Cricklewood, north-west London, was arrested at the scene.
The station had to be evacuated and the Piccadilly line temporarily closed as police recovered the man's body.
Officers viewed CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage and interviewed witnesses at the station following the man's death.
British Transport Police stressed such incidents are "extremely rare". The man's name is yet to be released.
Nina Kanagasingham, 34, of Chichele Road, Cricklewood, north London, will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

[ChrisB]

They were seen larking about on the edge of the platform just before she (as the family have requested this person be referred to as) fell.

It *could* just be unfortunate. It is for any jury to decide.

[Chris from Nailsea]

It *could* just be unfortunate. It is for any jury to decide.

Quite right, ChrisB - and, just to avoid any further speculation in the meantime here, I'm locking this topic now.

Chris. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm now unlocking this topic, and posting the following update, for information purposes only:

From the British Transport Police press release:

MANSLAUGHTER VERDICT FOR DEATH OF SONIA BURGESS AT KING'S CROSS UNDERGROUND

The man who pushed Sonia Burgess off a Tube platform into the path of a train during the evening rush hour at King^s Cross has been found not guilty of murder but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Senthooran Kanagasingham (35) of Chichele Road, Cricklewood, was convicted of manslaughter at the Old Bailey after the jury found he was suffering from an abnormality of mind at the time of the incident.

Kanagasingham was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of seven years, after the trial on Thursday 22 December.

The court heard how the pair met socially in 2009 and became friends. Kanagasingham was at that time going by the name of Nina and was undergoing hormone treatment as part of sex change therapy.

By early 2010, Sonia had become concerned about Kanagasingham^s behaviour and was finding their friendship more difficult. Throughout 2010, Sonia provided friendship and financial support to Kanagasingham as he undertook therapy, but remained concerned that his mental health was suffering.

Sonia encouraged Kanagasingham to go and see his GP and went with him on Monday 25 October 2010 to visit a surgery in Cricklewood where Sonia told the doctor of her concerns about Kanagasingham^s mental health.

The court heard that that Kanagasingham was annoyed that Sonia told the doctor this.

The pair made their way back to central London and when they reached the Piccadilly line platform at King^s Cross at about 6.30pm, Kanagasingham pushed Sonia in front of a train as it entered the station.

Kanagasingham was restrained by members of the public before British Transport Police officers arrived and he was arrested. Paramedics rushed to the platform, however, Sonia died at the scene from multiple injuries.

British Transport Police Detective Inspector Ian Trantum, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: ^Sonia Burgess was a kind and compassionate person who had tried to help and support Senthooran Kanagasingham in any way she could since they met.

^I would like to pay tribute to Sonia^s family who have acted with dignity since the incident and throughout a difficult trial.

^Sonia was devoted to her family in her private life and had a respected reputation as a leading human rights lawyer in her professional life as David Burgess.

^I would like to thank the witnesses who assisted us in this case.^

Sonia^s family released the following statement: ^Regardless of the verdict, the loss of Sonia is still felt deeply by us, the family, and all of Sonia's beloved friends. We will always be honoured and privileged to have been a part of Sonia's life.

^With regards to Senthooran Kanagasingham, we hope that he receives any help he needs; this is what Sonia would have wanted and was indeed what she was trying to help him find.

^Sonia was truly an inspiration and even in death her lesson to love and put others before one's self continues to shine through and will not be forgotten.^

Notes to Editors:

Senthooran Kanagasingham was charged with murder under the name Nina Kanagasingham following the incident.

The victim was also known in her legal name of David Burgess, 63, of Shaftesbury Ave, London. Sonia had two identities, David and Sonia, which were both well known to her family, friends and work colleagues.

Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN