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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Suicide letter couple found dead | Suicide letter couple found dead |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| A Berkshire couple who sent a letter to the BBC criticising UK laws on assisted suicides have been found dead. | A Berkshire couple who sent a letter to the BBC criticising UK laws on assisted suicides have been found dead. |
| Dennis and Flora Milner, aged 83 and 81, were found dead in their home in Newbury on Sunday, police confirmed. | Dennis and Flora Milner, aged 83 and 81, were found dead in their home in Newbury on Sunday, police confirmed. |
| A letter and statement saying they had "chosen to peacefully end our lives" was delivered to BBC South on Tuesday. | A letter and statement saying they had "chosen to peacefully end our lives" was delivered to BBC South on Tuesday. |
| They said they wanted to highlight the "serious human dilemma" which prevents people from legally ending their own lives with loved ones around them. | They said they wanted to highlight the "serious human dilemma" which prevents people from legally ending their own lives with loved ones around them. |
| Chrissy and Nigel support their parents' decision to take their own lives | Chrissy and Nigel support their parents' decision to take their own lives |
| Mr and Mrs Milner's daughter Chrissy said her parents had been in good health but did not want to get to a stage were they would be too ill to care for themselves. | Mr and Mrs Milner's daughter Chrissy said her parents had been in good health but did not want to get to a stage were they would be too ill to care for themselves. |
| "I think they made this decision because they'd had a very positive life. They'd enjoyed life," she said. | "I think they made this decision because they'd had a very positive life. They'd enjoyed life," she said. |
| "They'd always said they wanted a positive death, they wanted a good death." | "They'd always said they wanted a positive death, they wanted a good death." |
| She said she and her brother Nigel knew they had formed a suicide pact but did not know when they planned to kill themselves. | She said she and her brother Nigel knew they had formed a suicide pact but did not know when they planned to kill themselves. |
| She said they had told her: "We won't be here for Christmas. | She said they had told her: "We won't be here for Christmas. |
| "My brother and I fully endorse what has happened. | "My brother and I fully endorse what has happened. |
| "If they were here now we would give them our full support because it was an idea, a concept, that was very close and dear to them." | "If they were here now we would give them our full support because it was an idea, a concept, that was very close and dear to them." |
| Assisted suicide laws Anyone helping someone kill themselves in England or Wales could face 14 years in prisonIn Scotland and other European contries the law is less clear, some have more liberal lawsIn Switzerland, organisations like Dignitas help people end their lifeTo date, more than 100 UK citizens have travelled to Dignitas to end their life. | Assisted suicide laws Anyone helping someone kill themselves in England or Wales could face 14 years in prisonIn Scotland and other European contries the law is less clear, some have more liberal lawsIn Switzerland, organisations like Dignitas help people end their lifeTo date, more than 100 UK citizens have travelled to Dignitas to end their life. |
| Mr and Mrs Milner's statement, sent to the BBC and headlined "a personal critical self assessment", appeared to be signed by both of them. | |
| It read: "We have been fortunate to have lived through and enjoyed 80 plus years of a happy, loving and exciting life. | It read: "We have been fortunate to have lived through and enjoyed 80 plus years of a happy, loving and exciting life. |
| "It would be impossible to thank all the people and organisations which every day, without fail, have contributed to our lifespan. | "It would be impossible to thank all the people and organisations which every day, without fail, have contributed to our lifespan. |
| "There's just one outstanding [group] which we think everyone would go along with, the medical profession and the NHS in which they serve. They have usefully extended our lives by at least 25-30 years. | "There's just one outstanding [group] which we think everyone would go along with, the medical profession and the NHS in which they serve. They have usefully extended our lives by at least 25-30 years. |
| "We leave this life with just one serious and disappointing criticism of our society. | "We leave this life with just one serious and disappointing criticism of our society. |
| The letter to the BBC was dated in August but post stamped 2 November | |
| "Today we have been denied what we believe to be our basic human right - to terminate our own lives, in our own home, at our own choosing, with our loved ones around us, without anyone having to face any legal possibilities or harassment." | "Today we have been denied what we believe to be our basic human right - to terminate our own lives, in our own home, at our own choosing, with our loved ones around us, without anyone having to face any legal possibilities or harassment." |
| Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said: "We are saddened by the news of Dennis and Flora Milner's deaths. | |
| "Both were supporters of Dignity in Dying's campaign to change the law on assisted dying for terminally ill adults. | |
| "Their case highlights some people's deep concerns about suffering unnecessarily at the end of life, and the lack of a safeguarded choice which can prompt people to take drastic action through fear. | |
| "Had safeguarded assisted dying been available, Mr and Mrs Milner would have been able to have an open discussion about their concerns with health care professionals, for whom they clearly had a lot of respect, and any existing unmet needs may well have been identified." | |
| 'Not suspicious' | 'Not suspicious' |
| A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "We were called to an address in Enborne Road at 9am on the 1 November. | A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "We were called to an address in Enborne Road at 9am on the 1 November. |
| "There were two unexplained deaths, they are not thought to be suspicious." | "There were two unexplained deaths, they are not thought to be suspicious." |
| He confirmed the dead pair had been identified as Dennis and Flora Milner. | He confirmed the dead pair had been identified as Dennis and Flora Milner. |
| An initial post-mortem examination has been carried out but further toxicology tests were needed to confirm how they died, he said. | An initial post-mortem examination has been carried out but further toxicology tests were needed to confirm how they died, he said. |
| A spokesperson for the West Berkshire Coroner said the couple's family had been told. | A spokesperson for the West Berkshire Coroner said the couple's family had been told. |