Student, 21, who took his life in lockdown was one of eleven in just six years at Exeter University, as his parents claim that staff did not do enough to help

• At least 11 Exeter University students have taken their own lives in last six years
• Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, a physics student, took his own life in June 2021 
• Parents say they were ‘fobbed off’ after raising alarm about his mental health
• They called for a new law to make universities publish student suicide figures
• For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details 

At least 11 students at a top university have taken their own lives in the past six years, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The grieving parents of one of the students will this week claim at an inquest that staff at Exeter University did not do enough to help their son – despite warnings that he was distressed.

Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, a bright physics and astrophysics student, took his own life in June 2021 after he failed some of his third-year exams in lockdown.

Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, a bright physics and astrophysics student, took his own life in June 2021 after he failed some of his third-year exams in lockdown

His parents, Rupert and Alice, say he was upset at the university’s decision to cap his marks if he re-sat the exams and will claim that they were ‘fobbed off’ when they attempted to sound the alarm about his mental health. 

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Rupert and Alice Armstrong Evans urged Ministers to adopt ‘Harry’s Law’, which would force coroners to inform universities when they record a suicide verdict and for universities to publish the figures.

‘Had I known there had been other suicides at Exeter, I would have immediately asked questions,’ Mr Armstrong Evans said.

After being forced to spend much of his second year at home in Cornwall because of the pandemic, Harry returned to Exeter in January 2021 for his first set of four exams in his final year

After questions from the MoS, Exeter University said it was aware of 11 student suicides between 2016/17 and 2022/23.

Louis Appleby, a professor of psychiatry at Manchester University who advises the Government on its National Suicide Prevention Strategy, said that with a population of 25,000 students at Exeter, ‘you would expect only three suicide deaths over four years’. 

But he cautioned that it is hard to be certain about figures from individual universities because small numbers fluctuate and comparisons with other institutions are imprecise.

Harry was the second astrophysics student at Exeter to take his own life in four years. 

Joel Rees, 20, was found dead at his student home in June 2017. 

After being forced to spend much of his second year at home in Cornwall because of the pandemic, Harry returned to Exeter in January 2021 for his first set of four exams in his final year. He failed to pass any of them.

Mrs Armstrong Evans, 63, said: ‘I don’t think he wanted to die, I just think he felt he had no way out. I just feel privileged that I’ve known such a beautiful person’

In May 2021, Alice alerted the university’s Wellbeing Services that she was concerned about her son and claims she was told that someone would make contact with Harry. He later told his parents this never happened, it is claimed

He was told that he could re-sit them but that his marks would be capped at 40 per cent.

‘I believe that this was the start of the final trigger for Harry and set the scene for his subsequent suicide,’ Mrs Armstrong Evans said.

In May 2021, she alerted the university’s Wellbeing Services that she was concerned about her son and claims she was told that someone would make contact with Harry. 

He later told his parents this never happened, it is claimed.

He returned to the family home in June 2021 and took his own life four days later.

A university spokesman said: ‘We are deeply saddened by Harry’s death and the family’s loss. The university is fully engaged with the coroner’s inquest this week

Mrs Armstrong Evans, 63, added: ‘I don’t think he wanted to die, I just think he felt he had no way out. I just feel privileged that I’ve known such a beautiful person.’ 

Mr Armstrong Evans, 72, said: ‘The combination of lockdown and being let down, it’s the fatal combination.’

A university spokesman said: ‘We are deeply saddened by Harry’s death and the family’s loss. The university is fully engaged with the coroner’s inquest this week… It would be completely inappropriate to comment further until the inquest has concluded.’ 

He added that the university has invested significantly in student welfare and provides support services seven days a week both on campus and in the community, including throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.

Source: Read Full Article