Family of student who killed herself win £50,000 in landmark case
THE family of a student who killed herself have been awarded £50,000 in a landmark civil case against her university.
Natasha Abrahart, 20, was diagnosed with chronic social anxiety disorder two months before she died — on the day she was due to give a presentation in a 329-seat lecture theatre.
A senior judge yesterday found Bristol University liable for “multiple breaches” of its duties towards the second-year physics student.
The Bristol county court verdict followed a trial in March to decide if it had a direct role in her death in April 2018.
She was at least the tenth student at the university to take their own life since October 2016.
In a written judgment, Judge Alex Ralton found it had engaged in indirect disability discrimination against Natasha.
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Judge Ralton found that it had been "accepted by the medical experts that the primary stressor and cause of Natasha’s depressive illness was oral assessment."
Speaking after the ruling, Natasha’s father Robert, a retired university lecturer, said: “We finally have the truth.
"The University of Bristol broke the law and exposed our daughter to months of wholly unnecessary psychological trauma."
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,
- Mind, , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus,, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, , 116 123
- Movember,
- Anxiety UK , 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm
