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Broadcaster admits mercy killing Broadcaster admits mercy killing
(about 2 hours later)
A freelance broadcaster for the BBC's Inside Out has admitted smothering his ailing lover in a mercy killing.A freelance broadcaster for the BBC's Inside Out has admitted smothering his ailing lover in a mercy killing.
During a documentary on death and dying, Ray Gosling, 70, said: "I killed someone once... He'd been my lover and he got Aids."During a documentary on death and dying, Ray Gosling, 70, said: "I killed someone once... He'd been my lover and he got Aids."
The Nottingham filmmaker explained he had had a pact with the deceased man to act if his pain increased.The Nottingham filmmaker explained he had had a pact with the deceased man to act if his pain increased.
"I picked up the pillow and smothered him until he was dead... I have no regrets. I did the right thing.""I picked up the pillow and smothered him until he was dead... I have no regrets. I did the right thing."
Time to shareTime to share
Mr Gosling said he smothered his former lover while he was in hospital after doctors told him that there was nothing further that could be done for him. Mr Gosling said he smothered his former lover while he was in a hospital - which he did not name - after doctors told him that there was nothing further that could be done for him.
"I said to the doctor: 'Leave me… just for a bit,' and he went away… The doctor came back and I said: 'He's gone.' Nothing more was ever said."I said to the doctor: 'Leave me… just for a bit,' and he went away… The doctor came back and I said: 'He's gone.' Nothing more was ever said.
"When you love someone, it is difficult to see them suffer. My feelings on euthanasia are like jelly - they wobble about."When you love someone, it is difficult to see them suffer. My feelings on euthanasia are like jelly - they wobble about.
"This is the time to share a secret I have kept for quite a long time.""This is the time to share a secret I have kept for quite a long time."
Ray Gosling: "We'd got an agreement - if it got worse, the pain, and nobody could do anything"Ray Gosling: "We'd got an agreement - if it got worse, the pain, and nobody could do anything"
He did say he was aware of the possibility that he might be questioned by police about the issue.He did say he was aware of the possibility that he might be questioned by police about the issue.
Assisted suicide remains a criminal offence, but interim guidelines issued in September by the director of public prosecutions set out the factors which weigh in favour of and against prosecution in different cases. Assisted suicide remains a criminal offence, but interim guidelines issued in September by the director of public prosecutions set out the factors which weigh in favour of and against prosecution in different cases in England and Wales.
When asked by Inside Out presenter Marie Ashby if he had regrets, Mr Gosling said: "Absolutely none. He was in terrible pain - I was there and I saw it. It breaks you into pieces." Last month Kay Gilderdale, 55, of Stonegate, East Sussex, was cleared of the attempted murder of her severely ill daughter who had ME. Mrs Gilderdale had administered lethal drugs to end 31-year-old Lynn Gilderdale's life after her daughter called her for help when her own attempts at suicide failed.
When asked by the BBC for further details about his former lover he declined to comment. Days before that another mother, Frances Inglis, 57, of Dagenham, east London, was jailed for nine years for murder after she injected her brain-damaged son Thomas, 22, with a lethal dose of heroin.
"Some know, some don't. It's best that way. Let it be," Mr Gosling said. Dr Rob George, of the pressure group Care Not Killing, said: "We are in a sense being pushed down a road of thinking that there's only one option to the management of death and dying; there's only one honourable, decent or good way to die at the moment.
"The pressure that's coming for people to be forced into this situation I think is very difficult, and I think it's disorientating and I think often as not it's misleading."
'No regrets'
Mr Gosling, asked by Inside Out presenter Marie Ashby if he had regrets, said: "Absolutely none. He was in terrible pain - I was there and I saw it. It breaks you into pieces."
When asked about the dead person's family he merely said: "Some know, some don't. It's best that way. Let it be."
Mr Gosling, a writer and broadcaster of hundreds of radio and TV documentaries, wrote a documentary about his decision to move into sheltered accommodation in the documentary Ray Gosling OAP.Mr Gosling, a writer and broadcaster of hundreds of radio and TV documentaries, wrote a documentary about his decision to move into sheltered accommodation in the documentary Ray Gosling OAP.
The programme won the Jonathan Gili most entertaining documentary award at the Grierson 2007 awards.The programme won the Jonathan Gili most entertaining documentary award at the Grierson 2007 awards.
• The interview with Ray Gosling was broadcast on BBC One's Inside Out East Midlands programme on Monday evening.• The interview with Ray Gosling was broadcast on BBC One's Inside Out East Midlands programme on Monday evening.