News - News - New guidance on assisted suicide following Purdy victory
| 25 Sep, 2009 |
| The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has issued new guidance on cases of assisted suicide following an appeal victory by Debbie Purdy, whose solicitor is Saimo Chahal, Head of the Civil Liberties and Social Welfare Team in the Public Law and Human Rights department of Bindmans. The guidance, a draft policy, comes after the Law Lords backed multiple sclerosis sufferer Purdy in her quest for a policy statement on whether people who help someone commit suicide should be prosecuted. Saimo commented: “There are no great surprises in the policy guidance issued today. Through comments made in the Press, we have known for some time that the guidance will cover not just people like Debbie, who intend to go to Switzerland; to a country where assisted suicide is lawful, but the interim guidance will, and does, cover cases where assistance with suicide is given in this country. This shows forethought by the DPP and is welcome, as this is an issue which affects very many people who wish to die in this country.” Under the guidance, relatives or friends who are involved in assisted suicide might not be sent for trial if they do not stand to benefit from a deceased’s estate or if they could prove that they were acting out of compassion. Equally, it will be taken into account the dying wishes of the deceased, and whether they were competent enough to make the decision to end their lives, and had shown a “clear and settled” wish to make such a decision. Particular attention will also be paid to the age of the deceased, especially if they were under 18; whether they had a mental illness; or if there was evidence that there was no possibility of recovery. |
