Ex-Cambridge professor Jason Arday's friend shares heartbreaking voice note sent before his death

A friend of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday has described voice messages Arday sent prior to his death.

Arday, 41, was found dead at his home in London on August 14 after being at the center of accusations around plagiarism in his PhD thesis, which he denied.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is among those to have publicly called out reporting on the allegations in the press, saying that Arday was subjected to a 'pernicious public shaming'.

The 41-year-old had recently resigned from his professorship citing 'relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love'.

Arday was the youngest black man to be awarded a professorship at the University of Cambridge, and had also spoken frequently about the challenges of growing up with autism.

The plagiarism allegations saw Arday thrust to the center of a public row about diversity programmes in higher education in the UK.

Sir Simon Baron-Cohen appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, where he revealed that he had spoken to Prof Arday on the morning of August 14, and said that his mental state had been deteriorating, including heartbreaking voice notes in which he said Arday told him he 'couldn't go on'.

Jason Arday has died (University of Cambridge)

“He was being subjected to relentless scrutiny, including ridicule, discrediting absolutely every detail of his life," said Sir Baron-Cohen, "and he wasn’t coping with the loss of his career, the loss of his reputation, and he felt he couldn’t go on.”

He added: “He used those words in voice notes."

Arday's family have also released a statement following his death in which they criticized the way he was treated after starting his job at Cambridge.

“Jason was subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse for more than three years since he accepted the role of professor at Cambridge University by those who would leave no stone unturned in their quest to undermine him," the family statement shared with The Guardian said.

“The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone.

“We are in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son.

Arday's family have spoken out after his death (Jason Arday)

“We won’t comment further at this point beyond asking the press to leave us alone now, and to stop the campaign of harassment which has been waged against Jason and his family for too long.”

Sir Baron-Cohen also alluded to Arday's disabilities in his appearance on Today, saying that he was a 'vulnerable' person.

“At the heart of all of this was a man who’d been diagnosed in childhood with disabilities that included autism and language delay and learning differences," he said.

“He was a vulnerable child, a vulnerable teenager, and a vulnerable adult, so he needed and deserved safeguarding and support and reasonable adjustment every step of the way.”

The Metropolitan Police in London have said in a statement that they are not treating Arday's death as suspicious.

A spokesperson for the Met said in a statement: “A 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

“At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious.

"The case is being investigated by officers from the Met’s central south command unit. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”