Fatalities at and around Twyford Station (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Electric train]

thoughts must be with the train driver and the daughter, family and friends of the deceased.C. 

Mine to

[Oxman]

I understand that the reason it took so long to clear the main lines was that the police were searching for parts of the man's mobile phone - the SIM card I expect. This wasn't just a straightforward suicide.

[super tm]

I understand that the reason it took so long to clear the main lines was that the police were searching for parts of the man's mobile phone - the SIM card I expect. This wasn't just a straightforward suicide.

Cant quite imagine what use the sim card of his mobile phone would be.  Phone records would show what call were made.

[Electric train]

I understand that the reason it took so long to clear the main lines was that the police were searching for parts of the man's mobile phone - the SIM card I expect. This wasn't just a straightforward suicide.

Cant quite imagine what use the sim card of his mobile phone would be.  Phone records would show what call were made.

Verifying evidence and assist in identification, just to name a few

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Maidenhead Advertiser:

Train death man had taken heroin, inquest heard

An inquest into the death of a man who jumped in front of a train at Twyford heard he had potentially fatal levels of drugs in his system.

Ghirmai Abraha Hiyabu was hit by the Swansea to Paddington service which passed through the station at around 7.14pm on Tuesday, March 16.

The inquest, held yesterday at Windsor Guildhall, heard evidence from the train driver, Christopher Evans, who said the train had been travelling at 100mph when he saw a person wearing a dark coat with the hood up standing close to the edge of the platform at Twyford.

The driver sounded the horn but station CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage shows the 42-year-old jumping off the empty platform. He lay down on the tracks and, although Mr Evans applied the emergency brake, the train was unstoppable.

A post-mortem toxicology report found a level of morphine in his blood more than double the concentration associated with a heroin overdose.

Berkshire coroner, Peter Bedford, said: "It was a significant fatal overdose of morphine, or, most likely, heroin which had turned to morphine in the bloodstream."

Mr Bedford read reports of Mr Hiyabu's medical history, which contained incidents of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and dependence on heroin and crack cocaine dating back to the 1990s.

The inquest said Mr Hiyabu's journey to Twyford from his home in Ladbroke Grove, London, was 'a mystery' as no links could be found to the area.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From getreading:

A hard-hitting advertising campaign aimed at reducing suicides on railways is being launched at Twyford train station today.

Posters will be going up at railway stations across the south east, including Twyford, to combat suicide among working-class men aged 30 to 50, who are the most likely group to end their own lives.

The Samaritans is introducing the campaign, called Men on the Ropes, in time for World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday, September 10, and it is backed by Network Rail. The railway operator is working alongside the Samaritans to reduce suicides on the railway by 20 per cent.

The campaign aims to encourage men in distress to talk about their problems by calling the Samaritans helpline.

Rachel Kirby-Rider, Samaritans^ director of communications, said: ^We believe that many men don^t feel able to talk about their feelings and instead either bottle them up or let them spiral out of control, sometimes with tragic consequences. The main aim of our campaign is to make contacting one of our 29 branches in the south east, in confidence, 24 hours a day, an option for these men.^

Men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women and the campaign aims to reduce more than 4,000 male suicides that happen each year in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Welsh international rugby union referee Nigel Owens is supporting the campaign after he attempted to take his own life in 1996. He said: ^My depression started because I didn^t like who I was and I was too ashamed to talk to anyone. I let these feelings build up and up and before I knew it I couldn^t see a reason to live anymore, which is why I tried to take my own life. Looking back there were people I could have and should have turned to. I think if I had been able to talk to someone that day I might not have attempted suicide.^

There have been multiple suicides at Twyford train station in recent years. In July, Steven Rees was killed when he was hit by a train at the station after killing his wife Ann at their home in Woodley.

Anyone who is experiencing emotional distress and struggling to cope can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day on 08457 90 90 90.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Woman unlawfully killed by husband in Berkshire

A man stabbed his wife to death then threw himself into the path of a train, leaving his 13-year-old daughter an orphan, an inquest heard.

Ann Rees, 45, was found dead at her home in Malone Road, Woodley, Berkshire, on 7 July, last year.

Steven Rees, 49, was found at Twyford railway station minutes later after being struck by a train.

The coroner recorded a verdict that Mr Rees had taken his own life and Mrs Rees had been unlawfully killed.

By the way, the date quoted by the BBC in this item is wrong: it was 30 June, last year.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Reading Post:

Police awards honour acts of courage and compassion

Brave, hard working police officers and members of the community including an officer who entered a burning house and a shopper who chased down an armed shoplifter were honoured last week.

Superintendent Chris Shead, commander of Berkshire West basic command unit (BCU), handed out more than 40 commendations for a variety of brave acts at a ceremony in Reading Police Station on Thursday. The ceremony was the last of its type because the BCU structure is being abolished later this year. Supt Shead said: ^This is the last ceremony ever for the BCU and it^s one of the most impressive we^ve ever had. Everyone should be very proud of themselves because there has been some really good work here ^ not just to win these awards but in general.^

Gratitude of family hit by grim tragedy

An officer who had to explain to a 14-year-old schoolgirl that her dad had murdered her mum and then committed suicide was given a commendation and praised by the teen^s family.

Steven Rees, 49, slashed his wife^s throat at their home in Malone Road in Woodley and then threw himself in front of a train at Twyford Station on Wednesday, June 30, last year.

Ch Insp Bunt said: ^To have something like this happen is very unusual. What made it more upsetting is that their daughter, Katy, was 14 and at school at the time and had no idea this had happened.^

DC^▸ (Direct Current) Alastair Bagshaw, PC Christopher Stapleton, PC Christopher Healey and Sgt Susan Brown were all given awards for their work at the incident.

Ch Insp Bunt said: ^Alistair Bagshaw, there^s a special mention for him. He was deployed as the family liaison officer for the 14-year-old daughter. He had to go to her school and tell her what happened and he dealt with it in a very compassionate way. He was commended for it by the family of Katy Rees.^

Sgt Brown was the first supervisor on the scene in Malone Road and helped secure the scene and PCs Healy and Stapleton went to the Twyford train station to cordon off the scene there.

Ch Insp Bunt said: ^All of them contributed to a successful operation and deserve real recognition for their work in extremely tragic circumstances. There was a lot for the officers to be thinking about here but they did a fantastic job. I^ve dealt with murders and train suicides before and I know they can have an effect long after the event.^

[JayMac]

A side to policing that gets scant recognition. FLO's have to do this sort of thing day in, day out. Not just when it's a high profile case. Part of the job, yes, but not something I think I could do.

It ain't all about nabbing speeding motorists or 'kettling' demonstrators.

So well done to DC^▸ (Direct Current) Alistair Bagshaw and his colleagues. The recognition is justly deserved.