Cricketer Graham Thorpe asked wife 'to help end his life' before death, inquest hears

Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe asked his wife "to help him end his life" in the weeks before he was struck by a train.

Mr Thorpe died on 4 August 2024 at a railway station in Surrey. His widow Amanda Thorpe said he had taken his own life.

Mrs Thorpe told an inquest he suffered a "horrible time" and that losing his job as batting coach in 2022 was the "start of the decline of his mental health".

Surrey Coroner's Court heard on Wednesday that Mr Thorpe, 55, was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and tried to take his own life previously in 2022.

Up until 2020, Mrs Thorpe said there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from "a bout of depression" in 2018, but he found lockdown "very difficult".

She said an incident involving a leaked video in Australia left him "distraught".

Mr Thorpe shared a video with some friends while on tour there, which was leaked, and the incident was "blown out of all proportion", she added.

According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after an Ashes series England lost 4-0, showed police breaking up a drinking session with England and Australia players.

His father, Geoff Thorpe, said this incident caused "catastrophic damage" to his son and "ultimately he lost his job".

He then quickly "spiralled into depression", and became "more and more desperate and helpless in the last year of his life".

Image: Amanda Thorpe outside Surrey Coroner's Court. Pic: PA

The coroner, Jonathan Stevens, read a statement from Mr Thorpe's GP Joan Munnelly, detailing the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018.

An attempt to take his own life in 2022 resulted in a brain injury, Dr Munnelly added, and he was in intensive care.

By 2023, Mrs Thorpe said her husband had suicidal thoughts, and after Christmas he was "in a terrible way".

The last contact between Mr Thorpe and those overseeing his psychiatric care was in June last year.

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Mrs Thorpe felt he should have been "assessed properly" - adding in the weeks before his death he told her he "doesn't want to be here anymore" and had "asked me to help him end his life".

In May 2022, the England and Wales Cricket Board was advised Mr Thorpe had attempted to take his own life.

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The board's chief medical officer Professor Nick Pierce said "at no point during Graham's time at ECB had there been any concern regarding a risk of self-harm or intent to end life".

The inquest continues.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

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