Jason Arday, ex-Cambridge professor at centre of plagiarism row, found dead

Jason Arday, a former professor at the University of Cambridge, has been found dead in Battersea, south London. Emergency services were called to an address on Friday afternoon and discovered him unresponsive. Arday had resigned from his position at Cambridge last week following allegations of plagiarism and questions about his achievements. He had denied the claims of plagiarism.

Arday's family expressed shock and grief, describing him as an amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son. He was known for being a gentle man who always wanted to see the best in everyone. The Metropolitan Police stated that the death is being treated as unexpected and not suspicious.

Cambridge University's vice-chancellor, Prof Deborah Prentice, expressed deep sorrow over the news and extended her heartfelt sympathies to Arday's family and friends. Education Secretary Lucy Powell also expressed shock and urged people to remember the real people involved.

Arday, 41, had denied any plagiarism but admitted to errors in his work, attributing them to his autism and reliance on mimicry to understand information. He claimed that the recent controversy had led to an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attacks. Arday spoke about the cruel treatment he faced, comparing it to being called a liar and fantasist, which he found unacceptable.

Arday's appointment as Cambridge's youngest ever black professor at 37 in 2023 was hailed as a progressive moment. However, the relentless accusations and speculation took a toll on him, leading to his resignation and expressing that the scrutiny had gone beyond scholarly disagreement. The independent investigation into his appointment by Cambridge University and the allegations of plagiarism in his work are ongoing.