Inches from death: Russian father holds screaming three-year-old son on window ledge for two-and-a-half hours and threatens to drop him 150ft to punish his wife

• Roman Terentyev, 34, dangled his three-year-old son Maksim from high-rise window ledge in southern Russian city of Irkutsk
• Maksim was 'on the brink of death' for two-and-a-half hours reports said
• Terentyev wanted to punish his wife Olga Terenteva, 40, for 'cheating' on him

This is the shocking moment a Russian father dangled his screaming three-year-old son from a high-rise window ledge for more than two hours while threatening to drop him 150ft to his death to punish his wife for 'cheating'.  

After a tense standoff with police and negotiations with his spouse, who claimed he had beaten her, Roman Terentyev, 34, freed his son Maksim and was detained by Russian national guards.

Maksim was 'on the brink of death' for two-and-a-half hours, said reports in the southern Russian city of Irkutsk.

The child was heard crying and telling his father on the 14th floor residential tower window ledge: 'I am scared, let me go.'

Law enforcement psychologists were involved in the negotiations which followed Terentyev kidnapping the boy yesterday evening in a dispute with his wife.

Olga Terenteva, 40, had demanded a divorce and told police her husband had attacked her with a hammer.

Reports said Terentyev had become obsessed that she was cheating on him and installed hidden cameras in their apartment.

After kidnapping the boy, he sent her 'threatening messages' and said he would kill their son and take his own life.

Police were alerted today when neighbours at his rented flat saw him holding the boy at the open window of an enclosed balcony, say reports.

The footage went viral as the sickening drama unfolded. Eventually the man agreed to give up the child.

Soon afterwards Russian SOBR national guard special forces stormed the flat and detained the Terentyev. 

He was seen in handcuffs being pushed into a detention vehicle. 

Terentyev has been held in custody on suspicion of 'preparing to murder a minor', and would face jail of up to ten years if convicted. 

A picture of his wife Olga was released where she had dark bruises on her eyelids and below her eyes - with one eye appearing to be partially shut due to swelling.

Police also released an image of the boy after his safe release when he was reunited with his mother. 

Terentyev is also accused of attacking his step son, 19, and tying him up for six hours at the weekend as a dispute developed with his wife.

In leaked testimony after his arrest, the suspect said: 'I did not want to do this.

'I wanted to influence my wife, so she paid attention to me, since I love her very much, sincerely.'