CPS Reviews Thirteen Suspected Assisted Dying Cases in England and Wales
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is currently examining thirteen cases of suspected assisted dying across England and Wales, according to newly released official data. This development emerges as parliamentary discussions on legalising assisted dying appear likely to stall due to time limitations.
Two Decades of Referrals and Prosecutions
Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March this year, police forces referred 209 cases recorded as assisted dying to the CPS, marking an increase from 199 cases reported by the end of March last year. Under the Suicide Act 1961, encouraging or assisting another person's suicide or attempted suicide remains illegal in England and Wales.
Of these 209 referrals, prosecutors decided not to proceed with 131 cases, while police withdrew 42 others. Over the past two decades, the CPS has successfully prosecuted six cases involving encouraging or assisting dying, with two additional cases resulting in charges but acquittals after trial. Furthermore, eight cases were referred for prosecution under homicide or other serious crime charges rather than assisted dying offences.
Complex and Sensitive Nature of Cases
On its official website, the CPS emphasised the intricate and delicate nature of such investigations, stating: “Such cases are by their very nature complex and sensitive, not least due to the tragic events that surround them.” The service noted that conduct in these matters can range from situations where victims face pressure to end their lives to actions driven entirely by compassion.
The CPS guidance for prosecutors includes specific public interest factors that may favour or oppose prosecution, reflecting the nuanced legal landscape surrounding assisted dying.
Parliamentary Bill Faces Time Constraints
This latest data publication coincides with ongoing debates in Westminster regarding the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill, which proposes legalising assisted dying. The bill, which passed the House of Commons last year, has undergone extensive discussion in the House of Lords.
The proposed legislation would permit terminally ill adults who have resided in England or Wales for at least twelve months to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval from two doctors and an expert panel. However, the bill will fail if it does not complete all parliamentary stages before the current session concludes in the coming weeks.
Personal Accounts and Organisational Perspectives
Following the release of the CPS figures, Dave Sowry, a board member of the pro-change campaign group My Death, My Decision, shared his personal experience. Sowry accompanied his wife to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland and faced a police investigation upon returning home. He described enduring “additional stress and jeopardy” and questioned: “What sort of country do we live in where accompanying someone who has made a personal choice at the end of their life results in such additional stress and jeopardy?” In his case, police ultimately took no further action.
Conversely, Care Not Killing, an organisation opposed to legalising assisted dying, has previously argued: “The political priority must be to give patients a genuine choice through world-class hospice care, not turning doctors into executioners because fixing palliative care is too difficult and costly.” The group advocates for enhanced care services rather than legislative change.
For individuals experiencing distress, support is available through various helplines. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or via email at jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers assistance at 988 or through chat at 988lifeline.org. Australians can reach the crisis support service Lifeline at 13 11 14, while other international helplines are accessible at befrienders.org.
