The return to Oxford University after the Christmas holidays should have marked the start of another happy and rewarding term for Alexander Rogers.
In his third year of studying materials science, the strapping 20-year-old former grammar school pupil not only excelled in his studies – he had been tipped to get a First – but was also a talented sportsman.
He was a stalwart of the boat club at his college, Corpus Christi, rowing in the men’s first eight, as well as being hailed as a ‘vibrant presence’ in the junior common room, where he had served as treasurer for a year.
Tragically, however, on January 15 this year – less than a week after returning to Oxford – he killed himself by jumping from Donnington Bridge into the Thames.
He died at the scene, around two miles from his college, which was founded in 1517 and boasts former poet laureate Robert Bridges, novelist Vikram Seth and former foreign secretary David Miliband among its alumni.
Alexander Rogers (pictured), 20, killed himself by jumping from Donnington Bridge into the Thames
Alexander Rogers was a Corpus Christi College (pictured) student at Oxford University
The turbulent events of the fateful few days that Alexander spent at the start of Hilary term, as spring term is called at Oxford, were at the centre of the recent inquest into his death, which concluded with a coroner pledging to write a ‘prevention of future deaths report’ to the Department for Education.
In it, he will ask the department to reflect on the concerns the case has raised about an increasingly insidious campus cancel-culture at universities across Britain.
So what happened to change Alexander, who would have turned 21 on June 3, from a popular young man with the world at his feet to one shunned by his friends and in a state of such appalling despair that he felt he had to take his life?
Nicholas Graham, the Area Coroner for Oxfordshire, told the inquest that Alexander had returned to his college on Tuesday, January 9, and two days later he had gone to a pub with friends, including a young woman referred to only as ‘B’. ‘Upon returning to the college, Alexander went to B’s room and they had sex,’ Mr Graham said.
‘In the days following, B confided in several male friends, expressing discomfort about the sexual encounter. While B did not intend to report the incident formally, her disclosures led to a growing sense of animosity toward Alexander within his social circle.’
On January 13 there was a ‘physical altercation’ between Alexander and an ex-boyfriend of B’s.
‘Later that evening, B spoke separately with C and E, close friends of Alexander, explaining her feelings about the events of January 11,’ the coroner added.
The next day C and E met Alexander ‘to address the allegations’. They told him he had ‘messed up’ and they needed space from him, although they promised to ‘check up on him in a couple of weeks’. Alexander was said to have ‘appeared distraught’ afterwards.
On January 15, E found a note from Alexander indicating he intended to end his life, expressing remorse for his actions and ‘a belief that they were unintentional but unforgivable’. He also left a note for his family expressing his ‘love and regret’.
Alexander Rogers (pictured) had been tipped to get a First at Oxford University
As the police began a search, a passer-by saw Alexander jump from the bridge.
His body was recovered from the river, and a post-mortem examination ruled the cause of death was severe head trauma. The coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide.
The inquest held at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court in Oxford on November 5 heard that a ‘serious incident review’ was commissioned by Corpus Christi and conducted by Dr Dominique Thompson, a GP specialising in mental health.
She identified a ‘concerning culture of social ostracism, certainly within an element of the student body’.
Described as a form of cancel-culture, she said it involved the ‘exclusion of students from social circles based on allegations of misconduct, often without due process or a fair hearing’.
Mr Graham said: ‘The evidence from Dr Thompson was that students could rush to judgment without knowledge of all the facts, could shun those accused, and a ‘pile-on’ might occur where a group would form a negative view about another individual. She states that this culture had become… normalised.
‘The college accepts that such a culture exists and was aware of two instances where complaints had been received through formal channels in circumstances with some similarities to Alexander’s case.
‘Alexander was ostracised by his immediate peers because of their perception of what had taken place with B. As a consequence, he formed an intention… to take his life.’
Mr Graham said it was ‘possible Alexander felt that – because of this culture – there was no way of getting back into the social group that meant so much to him once he had been excluded’.
Friends of Alexander Rogers (pictured) have ran marathons in his memory for the suicide charity Papyrus
He added that Dr Thompson’s findings ‘highlight the potentially harmful effects of social ostracism’ and that ‘this culture was not limited to Oxford University – it is an issue for the higher education sector as a whole’.
‘Dr Thompson indicates that the college was a microcosm of life for young people in Oxford and other universities.’
Friends of Alexander ran marathons in his memory for the suicide charity Papyrus.
One said before the inquest: ‘The loss of Zander has been seismic. He was the epitome of what is good in this world – kind, warm, funny, and an incredible friend to so many.’
Another added: ‘Alex spread joy and held the brightest smile in the room.’
Corpus Christi said it was committed to reducing the risk of similar tragedies and would implement Dr Thompson’s recommendations.
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
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