An inquest into the death of England cricket star Graham Thorpe has heard the depressed cricketer asked his wife to help him end his life in a Swiss clinic before he died by suicide.
Thorpe died in August last year after being struck by a train. He was 55.
The inquest heard Thorpe “spiralled into depression” after losing his job as England batting coach in 2022.
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Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and previously tried to take his own life after he lost his job with the ECB.
Thorpe’s wife Amanda said before the pandemic in 2020 there were no signs of psychological issues apart from “a bout of depression” in 2018 which did not affect his job.
Graham Thorpe speaking to media during the 2022 Ashes series. Getty
However, she said things changed after a leaked video in Australia showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players.
Thorpe filmed four police officers shutting down a get together between Joe Root, the England captain, and Jimmy Anderson, as well as Australia’s Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey and Travis Head.
It’s understood Thorpe was heard saying “this is for the lawyers” during the video and it was reportedly the cigar he was smoking that led to police turning up, because it is against Tasmanian law to smoke inside a building.
The video ended up in the Australian press and ultimately cost Thorpe his job after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0.
Amanda Thorpe said her husband’s termination from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) came as a “real shock” which marked the “decline” of his mental health.
Thorpe ended up in hospital for eight weeks due to a suicide attempt after being axed.
The inquest heard Thorpe made repeated threats to kill himself and had even asked his wife to help end his life.
“The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn’t want to be here any more,” she told the inquest.
Graham Thorpe in 2004. Getty
“He asked me to help him end his life.
“He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil.”
Thorpe was never seen again when he left his home on August 4. His widow said she thought he had gone out to walk the dog but realised the dog was at home.
The court heard she then received a call from Thorpe’s dad telling her: “He’s gone”.
Amanda added: “He never really recovered from (his first suicide) attempt”.
“He came back from the tour of Australia in a terrible state – lots of things, the video, the environment, the set-up.
“To be sacked after that I think it was foreseeable that it would be really hard on him.”
Mr Thorpe’s father, Geoff Thorpe, said in a statement that the video incident had “caused catastrophic damage to him”.
Reading Geoff Thorpe’s statement, the coroner said: “You felt those who were responsible for Graham’s safety and care could’ve done more to intervene.”
Thorpe’s GP, Dr Joan Munnelly said the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and suffered a brain injury when he attempted to take his own life in 2022.
Thorpe made his international debut in 1993 and went on to play 100 Tests, scoring 16 centuries.
He scored a century on his first Ashes appearance, becoming the first England player to do so in 20 years.
He also featured 82 times for the ODI side.
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