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New guidance on assisted suicide New guidance on assisted suicide
(20 minutes later)
Guidelines on assisted suicide law will be published by the Director of Public Prosecutions this week to clarify when people are likely to be prosecuted.Guidelines on assisted suicide law will be published by the Director of Public Prosecutions this week to clarify when people are likely to be prosecuted.
Kier Starmer QC told the BBC factors would include whether anyone involved in the suicide stood to gain financially from the death. Kier Starmer QC told the BBC factors that would be considered included whether anyone helping in the suicide stood to gain financially.
He said assisted suicide would remain an offence as the law was unchanged.He said assisted suicide would remain an offence as the law was unchanged.
The guidelines for England ands Wales come after multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy won her legal campaign. The guidelines for England and Wales come after multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy won her legal campaign.
The Law Lords accepted earlier this year that Ms Purdy and her husband, Omar Puente, who live in Bradford, had a right to know whether he would be prosecuted if he helped her to travel abroad to commit suicide. The Law Lords accepted earlier this year that Ms Purdy, from Bradford, had a right to know whether her husband Omar Puente would be prosecuted if he helped her to travel abroad to commit suicide.
Mr Starmer told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the basis for the guidelines to be issued on Wednesday. 'Informed choice'
"What we're doing this week is to clarify when individuals are more likely to be prosecuted or more unlikely to be prosecuted." Mr Starmer told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show the basis for the guidelines to be issued on Wednesday.
Mr Starmer said other factors would include whether the person had a clear and settled intention to commit suicide and whether they had been encouraged or just assisted to do so. "What we're doing this week is to clarify when individuals are more likely to be prosecuted or more unlikely to be prosecuted", he said.
Changed attitudes He said other factors would include whether the person had a clear and settled intention to commit suicide and whether they had been encouraged or just assisted to do so.
"The general approach we've taken is try to steer a careful course to protect the vulnerable from those who might gain from hastening their death but also identifying those case where no one thinks it's in the public interest to prosecute", he said. "The general approach we've taken is try to steer a careful course to protect the vulnerable from those who might gain from hastening their death but also identifying those cases where no one thinks it's in the public interest to prosecute", he said.
It's estimated up to 115 people from the UK with terminal or incurable illnesses have gone to the Swiss clinic Dignitas to die. Ms Purdy welcomed the clarification on the law.
Mr Starmer said the guidelines gave clarity to the 1961 Suicide Act and were a "workable model". She told the BBC: "That means that people like me can make a proper informed choice and there will be protection for people to make sure that they are not coerced or manipulated."
He said: "I certainly think things have moved on since the 1960s and I think the public attitude to assisting suicide has changed in the intervening period. It is estimated up to 115 people from the UK with terminal or incurable illnesses have gone to the Swiss centre Dignitas to die.
"Because the decision whether to prosecute or not has to be one based on the public interest obviously it's important to take those factors into account." Mr Starmer said the guidelines were a "workable model" for the 1961 Suicide Act.
"I certainly think things have moved on since the 1960s and I think the public attitude to assisting suicide has changed in the intervening period.
"Because the decision whether to prosecute or not has to be one based on the public interest obviously it's important to take those factors into account," he said.