Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has admitted that his force "dropped the ball" by investigating a journalist for four months. The journalist, Jack Grove of Times Higher Education, was looking into plagiarism allegations against Cambridge professor Dr. Jason Arday.
Sir Mark Rowley stated on LBC that the investigation into Mr. Grove should have been screened out as not requiring police action. He acknowledged that in hindsight, the decision to contact Mr. Grove and continue the inquiry was a mistake. Professor Arday had reported Mr. Grove to the Metropolitan Police following emails concerning allegations about his PhD. Mr. Grove stated he sent Professor Arday three emails with questions over a two-month period, with the last email sent four months prior to being contacted by police.
Professor Arday resigned from his positions at the University of Cambridge and Jesus College shortly after the university announced its own formal probe into "new information about Professor Arday's academic qualifications and honorary appointments." In his resignation statement, Arday confirmed his departure with "profound sadness" and stated it should not be seen as an acceptance of surrounding narratives or a loss of faith in scholarship. He cited reaching the "limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure" due to "an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack."
The controversy surrounding Professor Arday intensified over months of rumors regarding his research and personal achievements. Doubts were raised about claims he made, including raising £5.5 million for charity and holding various university roles. While Cambridge conducted a probe and cleared him of wrongdoing regarding his 2015 PhD from Liverpool John Moores University, the allegations were publicized in June by a former Cambridge academic. The scrutiny has extended to Arday's biographical details, with spokespeople from Ohio State University, the University of Glasgow, and Nelson Mandela University denying he held visiting professorships as listed on his Jesus College profile. His college profile also described him as an honorary professor at Durham University, though reports indicate he no longer holds a formal position there.
Further questions have arisen regarding Arday's claimed qualifications, including a master's degree from Birkbeck University not reflected in published lists, and deleted entries on his college profile. His claims about fundraising achievements, including running 600 miles in six days and raising millions for charity, have also faced skepticism. Arday has since clarified that the running feat took place over 12 days and stated the fundraising figure represented a syndicate, though he could not name individuals due to non-disclosure agreements. Charity WaterAid also cast doubt on his claims of volunteering, and his name was subsequently removed from some of his online biographies. Additionally, he reportedly backtracked on a claim of appearing in the TV series "Seven Up" when informed it predated his birth.
The University of Cambridge stated its investigation is ongoing, and separately, complaints regarding academic misconduct are being handled according to its policies. Jesus College confirmed it is launching its own process in parallel with the university's investigation. Arday stated his resignation was for his wellbeing and that of his family, emphasizing a need for peace and privacy. He added that this was not the end of his work, but the end of a chapter, and that he intended to return after a period of healing.