Student, 19, fell to his death from a bridge after being left ‘confused and upset’ by a letter telling him he was being kicked off his university course
- Benjamin Murray, 19, died in May 2018 while studying at the University of Bristol
- Some 12 students at the university have taken their own lives in last three years
- University chose to ‘dismiss’ him after lack of attendance at lectures and exam
- But parents James and Janet Murray say they felt the university ‘failed’ their son
Benjamin Murray, 19, died in May 2018 while studying at the University of Bristol
A student suffering with anxiety fell to his death from a bridge after he was dismissed from his course despite telling officials he had been ‘struggling’ to settle in, his parents told an inquest today.
Benjamin Murray, 19, died in May 2018 while studying at the University of Bristol, where 12 students have taken their own lives in the last three years.
The first-year English undergraduate had been told the university had chosen to ‘dismiss’ him after his lack of attendance at lectures and an exam.
But his parents James and Janet Murray told an inquest into his death at Avon Coroner’s Court today that they felt the university ‘failed’ their son.
Mr Murray, from London, said 30 different members of staff were involved in email correspondence during his son’s seven months at the University of Bristol.
The undergraduate had been told the University of Bristol (above) had chosen to ‘dismiss’ him
But he said not one face-to-face meeting was organised with Ben. The student then became ‘confused and upset’ about the decision to dismiss him from his course.
In a statement, Ben’s parents said: ‘As a family we believe time was a critical factor in Ben’s death. He spent far too long ‘struggling in the water’, so to speak.
How 12 Bristol students took their own lives in the last three years
MIRANDA WILLIAMS (University of Bristol) – October 13, 2016
The 19-year-old philosophy student from Chichester had struggled with anxiety and depression, and took her own life with a drug overdose. She was only in her first term at the university, and was praised by her mother as ‘an amazing young woman’ with a ‘wonderful circle of friends’. A coroner concluded her death was suicide.
DANIEL GREEN (University of Bristol) – October 21, 2016
The 18-year-old history fresher, who lost his mother aged two to cancer, was found hanging in his room at university. An inquest was told he had started talking about starting counselling services, but had been in ‘good spirits’ just two days before his death. In a narrative verdict the coroner concluded he had taken his own life.
KIM LONG (University of Bristol) – November 10, 2016
The 18-year-old law student was just starting his first term at the university but was found dead in his halls of residence after leaving a note for his parents. Mr Long was described as a ‘highly intelligent’ young man with ‘a sense of humour’ by his parents, and had not shown signs of depression. The coroner concluded suicide.
LARA NOSIRU (University of Bristol) – January 30, 2017
The 23-year-old student from Essex took a large number of sleeping tablets and some LSD before jumping off Clifton Suspension Bridge in the city. She had suffered from depression for several years and tried to kill herself on several previous occasions. The coroner said she took her own life.
ELSA SCABURRI (University of Bristol) – March 20, 2017
The 21-year-old student had been suffering with depression when she was found hanged after leaving a note on her bed. The modern languages student was said to have gone ‘downhill’ quickly during a year abroad in Italy and came back to Britain to be with her mother. The coroner concluded her death was suicide.
RAVEN HUNT (University of West England) – April 13, 2017
The 21-year-old sociology student, who had a history of anxiety, hanged herself in woods near the city. Her family later spoke of their devastation. Her mother Emmy Hunt, who has three other children, said she is now on anti-depressants and gets panic attacks following the death.
SAM SYMONDS (University of West England) – May 1, 2017
The 19-year-old student, who was described as ‘so lovely’, was found dead after his friends raised the alarm when he had not been seen. His girlfriend and flatmate came home from work to find police at the flat, who said he had killed himself. A post mortem found he died from hanging. In a narrative verdict the coroner concluded he took his own life.
JAMES THOMSON (University of Bristol) – October 25, 2017
The 20-year-old maths student had been battling depression for about 18 months before his body was found by a friend. During an inquest, his parents questioned why the university did not do more to get in touch with them when they found he was suffering from depression. The coroner concluded his death was suicide.
JUSTIN CHENG (University of Bristol) – January 12, 2018
The law student from Canada, is in the third year of his degree, is believed by police to have taken his own life. The coroner concluded his death was suicide.
ALEX ELSMORE (University of Bristol) – April 21, 2018
The 23-year-old electrical and engineering student took his own life. The undergraduate, whose father is Guy, 52, the Archdeacon of Buckingham in the Diocese of Oxford, was originally from Liverpool and had four siblings. The coroner concluded his death was suicide.
NATASHA ABRAHART (University of Bristol) – April 30, 2018
Second-year physics student Natasha Abrahart was only 20 when she was found dead in her flat having taken her own life. In February last year she wrote to tutors to tell them she had had suicidal thoughts, and later that month tried to kill herself.
BEN MURRAY (University of Bristol) – May 5, 2018
First-year student Ben Murray took his own life last May. His father has since appealed for universities to do more to share details about at-risk students.
‘Much earlier intervention was needed and should have happened.
‘Ben was not even referred to the university halls welfare officer, as he was not considered at risk.
‘But in the workplace, you do not just send letters to sack people. There are proper, face-to-face procedures that should be followed.
‘For a 19-year-old fresher to be kicked out of his first year course without a face-to-face meeting is unacceptable and extraordinary.
‘If a 19-year-old says he is anxious, and is not attending lectures, you should immediately take action, and not just send him links.
‘What further signs do you need that something is wrong? We believe Bristol Uni failed on a number of occasions with the lack of pastoral care given to Ben.’
Ben’s social media messages to his university friends had suggested he was suffering from depression and they urged him to speak to student services.
He had twice told senior tutor Charles Gunter that he was not feeling well, and had been ‘struggling to connect’, an inquest heard.
But although Mr Gunter emailed Ben information on how to register with student services, no checks were made on whether Ben actually did so.
The inquest heard that Ben was sent a letter dated February 21, informing him that he was being dismissed from his course due to lack of engagement.
This followed Mr Gunter holding a phone call with Ben on December 14, during which Ben said he was ‘struggling to settle in at uni’ and ‘struggling to connect’.
Mr Gunter said: ‘I told him it was quite natural to feel a little bit unsettled.
‘I established that he hadn’t registered with the uni health services, and sent him information on that and how to register.
‘I wanted to make sure that he was aware that there was support.’
After Ben missed an exam in January, Mr Gunter got back in touch with him and advised him to fill out an exam absence form, as Ben once again told him he had been unwell.
Mr Gunter added: ‘At the start of February the next teaching block started, and for the second term in a row Ben did not complete registration for that teaching block.
‘I asked various tutors if he was attending classes, and I received mix replies. Some said he had been to lectures, others said he had come to some of them.
‘The situation became one that required attention. This was not just Ben missing one or two classes, or failing to hand in an assignment. He had failed to engage and had not passed 60 credits.’
At a faculty meeting at the start of February, the university Arts Faculty made the decision that Ben be dismissed from his course.
However, despite Mr Gunter contacting the Humanities School education doctor, Lesel Dawson, to try and raise Ben’s attendance, the senior tutor said that the dismissal letter of February 26 was the last contact the English School had with Ben.
He said: ‘I had hoped that Ben’s issue was just an issue with settling in in the first term. I escalated Ben’s case to Dr Dawson because I felt I had already made contact and had done what I could.
‘I find that sometimes if a student no longer wants to engage with one member of staff, perhaps talking to a new member of staff can help.’
However, Dr Dawson proposed a meeting with Ben on March 22 – two days after Ben’s appeal period to remain at the university would have passed, the inquest heard.
And, the day before his death, Ben’s friend Stefan Lossev said Ben messaged him, concerned and confused about an email informing him he had to move out of his halls the following week.
Ben wrote to Stefan: ‘I feel like I’m leaving the Matrix or unplugging’, to which Stefan replied: ‘Don’t kill yourself, please.’
The inquest heard that Ben had been known to take recreational drugs – and it was believed to be this that had contributed to his poor attendance at university lectures.
Ben suffered fatal injuries after falling off Clifton Suspension Bridge. The inquest continues and is expected to finish tomorrow.
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