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| Woman who imported 'euthanasia kit' took her own life, rules inquest | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A retired academic raided by armed police after Interpol tipped them off that she had illegally imported a “euthanasia kit” took her own life a few days later, an inquest has ruled. | A retired academic raided by armed police after Interpol tipped them off that she had illegally imported a “euthanasia kit” took her own life a few days later, an inquest has ruled. |
| The coroner said that Prof Avril Henry, 81, a member of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International, died at a “time and place she decided herself”. | The coroner said that Prof Avril Henry, 81, a member of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International, died at a “time and place she decided herself”. |
| Coroner John Tomalin said Henry was a “lady who knew her own mind, a bright, intelligent retired professor”. He added: “She suffered a number of painful and debilitating conditions which there were no cure for.” | Coroner John Tomalin said Henry was a “lady who knew her own mind, a bright, intelligent retired professor”. He added: “She suffered a number of painful and debilitating conditions which there were no cure for.” |
| The full details of the police raid were not given in court but it is understood that she surrendered some of the drugs in her kit after officers forced their way into her home – but kept half without officers realising. | The full details of the police raid were not given in court but it is understood that she surrendered some of the drugs in her kit after officers forced their way into her home – but kept half without officers realising. |
| Police were called back to her cottage in the village of Brampford Speke in Devon a few days later and Henry, who was a professor of English medieval culture at the University of Exeter until 2000, was discovered dead in her bath. | Police were called back to her cottage in the village of Brampford Speke in Devon a few days later and Henry, who was a professor of English medieval culture at the University of Exeter until 2000, was discovered dead in her bath. |
| At the time of her death in April, the Australian euthanasia campaigner Prof Philip Nitschke, who founded Exit International, said Henry was furious at the intervention by Devon and Cornwall police, accused the force of being heavy-handed and said Exit International was warning other members of what had happened. | At the time of her death in April, the Australian euthanasia campaigner Prof Philip Nitschke, who founded Exit International, said Henry was furious at the intervention by Devon and Cornwall police, accused the force of being heavy-handed and said Exit International was warning other members of what had happened. |
| The inquest in Exeter was told that Henry had “a number of painful and debilitating conditions” including arthritis, spinal pain, incontinence, cardiac failure, chronic deafness, sleep problems, asthma and swollen feet. | The inquest in Exeter was told that Henry had “a number of painful and debilitating conditions” including arthritis, spinal pain, incontinence, cardiac failure, chronic deafness, sleep problems, asthma and swollen feet. |
| Her GP, Dr Stephen Vercoe, said she first mentioned euthanasia in November 2013 when she told him: “Life is not really worth living any more.” | |
| She told other health workers that she wanted to go to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her life but they told her it was illegal for them to help her – which she accepted. | She told other health workers that she wanted to go to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her life but they told her it was illegal for them to help her – which she accepted. |
| Vercoe said: “Myself and several other medical professionals were well aware of Prof Henry’s intention but we all felt she had mental capacity, was not sectionable and there was no further action we could take.” | Vercoe said: “Myself and several other medical professionals were well aware of Prof Henry’s intention but we all felt she had mental capacity, was not sectionable and there was no further action we could take.” |
| She ordered drugs from Mexico on the internet but police were tipped off and raided her home. However, this did not stop her taking her life a few days later. In a note she said her death had been “laboriously planned” and described the law that prevents people being helped to take their own lives as “illogical” and “cruel”. | She ordered drugs from Mexico on the internet but police were tipped off and raided her home. However, this did not stop her taking her life a few days later. In a note she said her death had been “laboriously planned” and described the law that prevents people being helped to take their own lives as “illogical” and “cruel”. |
| Henry said she did not believe there needed to be a postmortem examination and asked that her body be buried in her orchard. A postmortem examination found Henry’s death was caused by the drugs she had taken. | Henry said she did not believe there needed to be a postmortem examination and asked that her body be buried in her orchard. A postmortem examination found Henry’s death was caused by the drugs she had taken. |
| Of the raid, William Michelmore, her solicitor, told the inquest: “Two armed police officers smashed a glass panel in Avril’s door and came into her house. She was very upset by the infringement on her personal space by the police forcing their way in.” | Of the raid, William Michelmore, her solicitor, told the inquest: “Two armed police officers smashed a glass panel in Avril’s door and came into her house. She was very upset by the infringement on her personal space by the police forcing their way in.” |
| She instructed Michelmore to lodge a complaint with Devon and Cornwall police. The coroner said: “Dr Henry appeared to start considering ending her life before she became too unwell. This goes back to November 2013, when she first spoke to her GP about this. | She instructed Michelmore to lodge a complaint with Devon and Cornwall police. The coroner said: “Dr Henry appeared to start considering ending her life before she became too unwell. This goes back to November 2013, when she first spoke to her GP about this. |
| “In fact, she made no secret of her intentions and was assessed by her GP and psychiatrist on more than one occasion. The medical profession all concluded that she wasn’t depressed, she had full mental capacity to make decisions about when and how she would end her life. | “In fact, she made no secret of her intentions and was assessed by her GP and psychiatrist on more than one occasion. The medical profession all concluded that she wasn’t depressed, she had full mental capacity to make decisions about when and how she would end her life. |
| “The evidence to me is quite clear. Dr Henry set about a course of action that was intended to end her life at a method, a time and place that she decided herself.” | “The evidence to me is quite clear. Dr Henry set about a course of action that was intended to end her life at a method, a time and place that she decided herself.” |
| In April when Henry died, Nitschke said: “Police need to realise that in the UK suicide is not a crime, and mental health authorities need to recognise that not everyone who seeks to end their life is in need of psychiatric intervention. | In April when Henry died, Nitschke said: “Police need to realise that in the UK suicide is not a crime, and mental health authorities need to recognise that not everyone who seeks to end their life is in need of psychiatric intervention. |
| “Her death was a clear case of ‘rational suicide’ and her decision to die at her own time and in her own place should have been respected. As it is the authorities did everything they could to make her last days on this earth a misery.” | “Her death was a clear case of ‘rational suicide’ and her decision to die at her own time and in her own place should have been respected. As it is the authorities did everything they could to make her last days on this earth a misery.” |
| After the inquest Nitschke told the Guardian there were about five more police raids around the UK following that on Henry’s house. | After the inquest Nitschke told the Guardian there were about five more police raids around the UK following that on Henry’s house. |
| He said: “The pattern was always the same – local police visiting at night asking to come in for a talk as they ‘were concerned about the person’s wellbeing’. Generally they were let in, at which point they said they had information ‘from Interpol’ that they had imported the euthanasia drug and that they should hand it over. | He said: “The pattern was always the same – local police visiting at night asking to come in for a talk as they ‘were concerned about the person’s wellbeing’. Generally they were let in, at which point they said they had information ‘from Interpol’ that they had imported the euthanasia drug and that they should hand it over. |
| “The information was always correct. Generally the drugs were handed over and they were asked about their involvement with Exit.” | “The information was always correct. Generally the drugs were handed over and they were asked about their involvement with Exit.” |
| He added: “The effect on our membership was dramatic. Lots of anxious people wondering where the breach in security had come from. In retrospect it looks as though it was the email communication with a particular Mexican supplier. This supplier now uses email encryption. | He added: “The effect on our membership was dramatic. Lots of anxious people wondering where the breach in security had come from. In retrospect it looks as though it was the email communication with a particular Mexican supplier. This supplier now uses email encryption. |
| “My best guess is that these bouts of enthusiastic activity are designed to ‘send a message’ to Exit’s elderly membership to stop seeking internet euthanasia drugs. If this is the case it’s been remarkably successful.” | “My best guess is that these bouts of enthusiastic activity are designed to ‘send a message’ to Exit’s elderly membership to stop seeking internet euthanasia drugs. If this is the case it’s been remarkably successful.” |
| Exit International is a not-for-profit Australian company that says it has an online membership of 18,000 supporters around the world. | Exit International is a not-for-profit Australian company that says it has an online membership of 18,000 supporters around the world. |
| It says the average age of Exit members is 75 years. A significant minority, it adds, are seriously ill. | It says the average age of Exit members is 75 years. A significant minority, it adds, are seriously ill. |
| Nitschke burned his medical practising certificate last November after a long-running fight with the Medical Board of Australia but said he would continue to advise terminally ill patients about how to take their lives. | Nitschke burned his medical practising certificate last November after a long-running fight with the Medical Board of Australia but said he would continue to advise terminally ill patients about how to take their lives. |
| In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. | In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. |