Student accused of rape found dead at Dartmoor beauty spot

A university student who had been charged with rape took his own life during the ongoing investigation, an inquest heard.

Thomas Wright, 22, boarded a train from Reading to Devon and was later discovered dead at Wistman's Wood in Two Bridges, Princetown, on April 2, 2024. He was located by volunteers with Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team after concerns for his welfare were reported by a friend he had disclosed the location to.

Thomas, a philosophy student at the University of Reading, was found with a suicide note and some other personal belongings. The medical cause of his death was ligature suspension.

An inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court today, December 16, heard Thomas, who was born in Gillingham, had struggled with his mental health since he was 15 years old and had made previous attempts to end his life.

His GP records confirmed he reached out for mental health support in October 2022 after an allegation of rape was made against him. He requested help again in December 2022, following the death of his mum, but was not seen again by his doctor between then and his death.

His dad, Christopher, told in a statement how Thomas had postponed his studies after being arrested by the police and had been working for Thames Water. He described him as being an avid reader with interests in philosophy, politics, bouldering, sketching and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

He recalled he last saw him on March 17, when Thomas and his sister had gone to York to visit him while he was recuperating from cancer treatment. The last time he spoke to him was the day he died when he said Thomas had rung him to say he had 'headed west for an adventure'. He said Thomas had seemed subdued but said he felt okay.

Christopher said: "He was a free spirit and would frequently do what he wanted to." He added: "The passing of his mother had a profound effect on Thomas."

Shatter the Silence

The DevonLive Shatter the Silence campaign aims to encourage anyone struggling to reach out and talk - to either a friend, relative, charity or a professional. Our campaign content will highlight just how important talking is and the difference it can make.

Ultimately, we want to reduce the number of people who die by suicide in Devon. We will highlight where to get help and show how talking has helped people come through difficult times in their lives. We will speak to families who have lost loved ones to look at the lasting impact of suicide and attempt to dismiss the inaccurate belief many people who are struggling manifest that they are a burden on the ones they love. We will look at the devastation caused to those left behind in the hope that even one reader might change their mind if they have considered taking their own life.

We will speak to people who have survived a suicide attempt and have accessed counselling or other mental health services to show that things can get better. We will speak to Samaritans volunteers about their vital work in Devon and how they are on hand 24-7 to listen. And we will offer guidance on what to say to someone who is struggling so people feel more confident to have that conversation.

Do you have a relevant story to share? Email emma.slee@reachplc.com.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

SAMARITANS offers support in a range of ways, including a self-help app, email support or by calling 116 123 for free 24 hours a day

NHS Offers advice on how to access mental health support

TALKWORKS is a free-to-access NHS service offering a variety of treatment and support for adults (aged 18+) living in Devon (excluding Plymouth)

CALM offer a free, confidential helpline 0800 58 58 58 and webchat, 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life's problems

HUB OF HOPE is a mental health support database that can signpost you to local support services

ANDY'S MAN CLUB offers men a chance to talk with like-minded people. They have clubs in Devon as well as nationally

KOOTH & QWELL provides free, safe and anonymous online mental wellbeing support, including moderated peer support forums and text-based counselling, to all residents living in Devon (aged 11+)

PETE'S DRAGONS provide free-to-access support to all residents living in Devon who may have been bereaved by suicide at any point in their lives

THE MOORINGS is an emotional support service that provides telephone and face-to-face support via a drop-in service at its bases in Exeter, Barnstaple and Torquay. It is a non-clinical service but provides emotional support, signposting to other services and other general support that is tailored to the people who access it.

.

His grandfather, Michael, a retired police officer with Kent Police, told in a statement that he believed the police investigation and how it was conducted had led to Thomas's death.

He said: "The delays in progressing the case led to a period of awful anxiety and stress for Thomas aggravated by, in my opinion, a failure to properly investigate the allegations fully. These failures directly contributed to Thomas taking his own life and I hold those directly involved responsible."

He confirmed he had lodged formal complaints with both Thames Valley Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has confirmed it is carrying out a review of the case.

Michael added Thomas had rung him the day he died and that they had spoken about the charges against him. He said Thomas maintained his innocence and feared being found guilty of a crime he said he did not commit and being given a long prison sentence.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Mike Bird, said: "His death appears to have been a planned decision that he did not overtly warn anyone about."

He continued: "Life events have been referenced including the death of his mother and how significantly that had affected him and he had also been charged with a serious offence in October 2022 which he denied but which was clearly a source of anxiety and stress for him and everything that would have come with that sort of serious charge."

Following the inquest, DevonLive obtained the following statement from the IOPC.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “In May, we received a complaint referral from Thames Valley Police, which included allegations that the force failed to promptly investigate allegations against a man. We decided that an investigation into the complaint was required and that it should be carried out by the force’s professional standards department.

"The complainant was advised that they would have a right to review to the IOPC at the conclusion of the force’s investigation, if they were not satisfied with the outcome. In July, we received a review request from the complainant.

"When carrying out a review, our role is to decide whether the force’s handling of the investigation or its outcome were reasonable and proportionate. We cannot reinvestigate the complaint. The complainant will be notified of the outcome of our review.”