More than £35,000 has been raised to support the family of Cambridge professor Jason Arday, who was found dead at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon. The 41-year-old had resigned earlier this month following a plagiarism row.
Fundraiser launched by Sir Patrick Vernon
A donation page set up by Windrush campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon has so far raised more than £35,000 to help cover funeral costs. A vigil will be held on Monday evening on the steps of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
Mr Vernon wrote: "Jason was a pioneering Black British academic, author, educator and advocate whose extraordinary journey inspired people across Britain and internationally. His appointment at the University of Cambridge was historic, and his work brought important attention to race, education, inequality and neurodiversity."
Personal and professional background
Prof Arday became Cambridge's youngest ever black professor in 2023. He admitted errors in his work but said he had faced "an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack" and was not a "liar" after the originality of his PhD thesis was called into question.
The late sociologist was married to Debbie-Ann McKenzie in 2014, and they had two children, Taylah and Noah. The couple split in 2019.
Reaction and circumstances
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "It's a tragedy on so many levels, but particularly just for everybody who knew Jason, his family obviously, his friends. We think of them today. It's not a moment for any rushing to judgment. It's a moment for reflection."
The Metropolitan Police said his death is being treated as unexpected but is not believed to be suspicious. A friend revealed Prof Arday said he felt he "couldn't go on" hours before he died.
Media reports alleged he plagiarised his PhD thesis, completed at Liverpool John Moores University, and other research. Questions were also raised about other claims, including running 600 miles in six days and raising more than £5million for charity. Academic Nathan Cofnas, sacked from his Cambridge role in 2024, said he found numerous instances of plagiarism in the professor's work. Mr Arday said some errors arose due to his autism, as he relied on mimicry to make sense of information.
Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service every day of the year. You can also email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
