CPS considering 13 suspected cases of assisted dying in England and Wales | Assisted dying

Prosecutors in England and Wales are considering 13 cases of suspected assisted dying, according to the latest data released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Assisted Dying Cases Under Review

Encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person is illegal in England and Wales under the Suicide Act 1961. The CPS reported that 209 cases of suspected assisted dying have been referred to them by police between April 1, 2009, and March 31 of this year, an increase from 199 cases reported by the end of March last year.

Of the 209 cases referred, 131 were not pursued by prosecutors, and 42 were withdrawn by police. Over the past two decades, six cases of encouraging or assisting dying have resulted in successful prosecutions, while two cases were charged and acquitted following a trial. An additional eight cases were referred for prosecution related to homicide or other serious crimes.

The CPS stated that these cases are “by their very nature complex and sensitive,” encompassing a range of conduct from pressuring someone to end their life to actions motivated by compassion. CPS guidance includes factors considered when deciding whether to prosecute.

Legislative Debate Ongoing

The latest data emerges as a bill proposing to legalize assisted dying continues debate in Westminster, though it is likely to run out of time to become law. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which passed the Commons last year, would allow terminally ill adults who have resided in England and Wales for at least 12 months to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval from two doctors and an expert panel.

Dave Sowry, a board member of the pro-change campaign group My Death, My Decision, shared his experience of a police investigation after accompanying his wife to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, describing the process as causing “additional stress and jeopardy.”

Conversely, Care Not Killing, an organization opposing changes to the law, has argued for prioritizing improved palliative care, stating the need for “much more care, not killing.”