Assisted suicide: guidelines strive for neutral tone

New guidelines, published today by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keir Starmer QC (pictured left), make no mention of either disability or terminal illness.

The guidelines are an attempt to make clear the circumstances under which anyone assisting someone to commit suicide might not face prosecution.  Meanwhile the law, which stipulates that anyone found guilty of assisting a suicide will face a maximum of 14 years imprisonment, remains unchanged.

But disabled campaigners and disability groups say that any move or concession towards leniency in this area could represent a threat to some people’s right to life.

Richard Hawkes (pictured right), Chief Executive of disability charity Scope, said: “We understand that assisted suicide is a complex and emotional issue.

"However, we do not support any weakening of the protection offered under the law on assisted suicide, which is exactly what these new guidelines do.

“Many disabled people are frightened by the consequences of these new guidelines and with good reason. There is a real danger these changes will result in disabled people being pressured to end their lives."

Others remain concerned at an emphasis in one of the guidelines for not prosecuting on the notion of assistance being motivated by compassion. They argue that such motives can be difficult to prove or establish beyond doubt.

These new guidelines which were ordered by the high court, and which follow a number of high profile cases are partly based on a consultation by the DPP.  It is thought that the fact that disability and terminal illness have been left out as potentially mitigating circumstances is the result of concerns expressed by disabled people who took part in that consultation.

Further concerns are being expressed that this approach to dealing with assisted suicide represents an attempt to bring in so-called “mercy killing” or euthanasia by the back door.  Over recent years a number of attempts have been made through private members bills and other means, to make assisted suicide easier for those people who campaign for it as a right.  Such attempts in both houses of Parliament have all been defeated.

See the Crown Prosecution Service Assisted Suicide Policy in full at http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/assisted_suicide_policy.html