Former Cambridge sociology professor Jason Arday found dead in London

Jason Arday, a former professor of sociology of education at the University of Cambridge, was found unresponsive at a Battersea address in south London on Friday and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Metropolitan Police officers were called after the London Ambulance Service reported the incident, and his next of kin have been notified.

The police described the death as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious. > "Our heartfelt sympathies go to Jason Arday's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," a police spokesperson said.

Arday, 41, had stepped down from his Cambridge post last week following allegations of plagiarism and questions about his claimed achievements, which he had denied. He had previously acknowledged errors in his work and attributed some of them to his autism, saying he relied on mimicry to process information.

The controversy began when another academic, Nathan Cofnas, identified multiple instances of alleged plagiarism in Arday's publications. Additional scrutiny focused on Arday's claims of completing 30 marathons in 35 days and running extensive distances for charity, which he said raised over £5 million.

In a recent interview, Arday said the public scrutiny had become an "unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack" and that the criticism had taken a profound toll on him and his family. He emphasized that his resignation should not be taken as an admission of wrongdoing.

Cambridge University expressed that it was "shocked and saddened" by the death of the former colleague. The university had previously noted that plagiarism allegations were being investigated by Liverpool John Moores University and the relevant journals.