An 82-year-old man has been given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of his beloved wife of six decades, in what a judge described as a tragic case of a ‘mercy killing’.
David Hunter, from Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court after the court heard how he ended the life of his terminally ill wife, May, who was suffering from blood cancer. The court was told the couple had been married for 60 years and were described as ‘devoted’ to one another.
The tragic incident unfolded in December 2022. Prosecutor Mr. Price told the court that Mr. Hunter had called a family member after the event, who then alerted the authorities. Upon their arrival, police found Mrs. Hunter deceased and her husband was subsequently arrested.
In a heart-rending mitigation, defence barrister Ms. Kamaal stated that this was not a case of malice or abuse, but one of ‘overwhelming love and desperation’. She detailed how Mr. Hunter had been his wife’s sole carer as her health rapidly declined from myeloma, a form of blood cancer, leaving her in significant pain and distress.
Mr. Hunter was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years. The judge, Mr. Justice Pepperall, acknowledged the extraordinary circumstances, noting that Mr. Hunter had acted out of ‘deep devotion’ and a misguided belief that he was ending his wife’s suffering. The sentence means he will not serve immediate jail time.
The case has sparked complex conversations about end-of-life care, the pressures on elderly carers, and the legal system's approach to cases involving assisted dying in the UK.
