FORMER CAMBRIDGE PROFESSOR JASON ARDAY FOUND DEAD IN SOUTH LONDON

Former University of Cambridge Professor of the Sociology of Education, Jason Arday, has been found dead in south London, days after resigning from the university amid a plagiarism and academic misconduct controversy.

Arday, 41, was reportedly discovered unresponsive at an address in Battersea on Friday afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were contacted by the London Ambulance Service after the incident. A 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, while his next of kin have been notified.

Police said the circumstances surrounding his death were unexpected but that it was not being treated as suspicious.

The controversy surrounding Arday emerged after questions were raised about his academic work, particularly his PhD thesis, which he completed at Liverpool John Moores University.

Academic critics and subsequent investigations alleged that sections of the thesis closely resembled the work of other scholars without appropriate acknowledgement. Further scrutiny reportedly raised allegations that interview quotations from previous research had been presented as original material.

Concerns were also raised about inconsistencies involving the number of research participants, interviews conducted and the methodologies described in his work.

Arday denied the allegations.

The scrutiny later expanded to claims made about his personal history and professional achievements.

He had gained considerable public attention for an inspirational biography that included claims that he had been diagnosed with autism, did not speak until he was 11 and only learned to read and write at 18.

However, investigations also questioned aspects of his academic and professional profile, including claims relating to books, visiting professorships, honorary positions and sporting and charitable accomplishments.

One particularly notable claim was that he had completed a 600-mile run over six days as part of a charity fundraising effort.

The growing controversy eventually led to his resignation from Cambridge last week.

His death was reported only days after he stepped down from the university.

The Metropolitan Police said investigations into the circumstances of his death are ongoing, although there is currently no indication that it was suspicious.