A judge has refused to give the University of Bristol permission to appeal a court ruling which found they had failed a student who took her own life. The County Court had awarded the parents of Natasha Abrahart more than £50,000 in compensation for the way the university had collectively treated the 20-year-old student, who suffered from chronic anxiety.
His Honour Judge Ralton, who heard the original case brought by the Robert and Margaret Abrahart, said the University of Bristol’s request to ask for permission to appeal failed because they had ‘essentially repeated’ the same arguments which failed at a trial in May this year.
The landmark ruling, which could well set a precedent for the way in which universities across Britain deal with people with ‘hidden disabilities’ and mental health conditions, found that the University of Bristol should have treated Natasha Abrahart’s diagnosis of chronic social anxiety disorder more seriously, and made extra allowances for her work, which included an in-person presentation in a large lecture theatre.
