Lockdown was last straw for bullied teenager who was struck by train

LOCKDOWN was the last straw for a bullied teen who took his own life on train tracks.

An inquest heard Joshua Buckenham had overcome anxiety to win a place at university – but then had to go back home to study as the pandemic hit.

He told his mum he was going for a walk on May 29, but was struck by a train an hour later.

The hearing revealed the 19-year-old had started battling anxiety when he was bullied at school in his early teens. He was prescribed medication and underwent counselling from the age of 15.

It was revealed the Covid pandemic had a profound effect on Mr Buckenham, from Branston, whose school grades suffered as a result.

That meant he did not get into his first-choice university, so he applied to join the Army, but was rejected due to his history of mental health problems.

The Marlow Drive resident, whose

mum brought him up as a single parent, eventually got a place to study at Keele University, in Staffordshire, but soon had to return home to study in line with Covid restrictions.

The night he died, he had been anxious about returning there after a long spell studying at home due to Covid.

Mr Buckenham died from multiple injuries after the rail incident near Burton. No post-mortem of toxicology assessment could be carried out, but there was no suspicion he had been drinking or taking drugs.

The train was travelling at the regulation speed of 95mph and Mr Haigh ruled there was nothing the driver could have done to avoid Mr Buckenham.

A report from British Transport Police investigator Paul Simmonds, read out at the inquest, said: “The driver had received a green signal to indicate the track was clear up ahead.

“He was on a straight section of track and, although dusk, he still had good visibility. Initially, he saw a shadow in the middle of the track around 200 yards ahead of him. He tried to assess what it was and started to apply the brakes.

“But he realised it was a person when he saw his head move, so he immediately applied the emergency brake.

“The collision took place and the train came to a stop around 200 yards further down the line.”

Coroner Andrew Haigh recorded a verdict of “suicide while suffering anxiety”.

Addressing Ms Buckenham at Stafford Coroners Court, he said: “I want to convey sincerely my sympathies. I’m sorry that, for whatever reason, he’s decided to do this and died in such upsetting and unfortunate circumstances.”