A coroner has found "failings" in the mental health care provided to former England cricketer Graham Thorpe in the months before his death by suicide in August 2024. The 55-year-old died after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey on August 4.
An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard that Thorpe had "spiralled into depression" after losing his job as England batting coach in 2022. He had previously attempted to take his own life on another occasion.
Healthcare shortcomings identified
Coroner Jonathan Stevens said the last time Thorpe was seen in person by healthcare professionals was on March 20, 2024. He concluded there were "shortcomings in the care that should have been provided to Graham in the last four months or so of his life".
Stevens added that whilst there were "failings in the provision of his care", he could not conclude on the evidence that the failures were gross. He also could not determine whether Thorpe would still be alive if proper care had been provided.
Crisis situation not recognised
The inquest heard that healthcare professionals did not perceive Thorpe to be in a "crisis situation" despite being told he had been asking his wife "for help to end his life" weeks before his death. The coroner said if Thorpe had been seen in those final four months, "particularly after that incident on June 28", it was unclear whether it would have made any difference.
Thorpe was a mainstay of the England cricket team for many years, first as a batsman between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles. During his distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993.
Distinguished cricket career
The former Surrey batsman represented England 182 times across all formats during his playing career. He later returned to the England set-up as a coach, working with the national team until losing his position in 2022.
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(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
