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| Assisted suicide court review due | Assisted suicide court review due |
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| A woman with multiple sclerosis has told the BBC she wants the High Court to clarify the law on assisted suicide. | A woman with multiple sclerosis has told the BBC she wants the High Court to clarify the law on assisted suicide. |
| Debbie Purdy, 45, from Bradford, is considering travelling to Switzerland - where assisted suicide is legal - to end her life. | Debbie Purdy, 45, from Bradford, is considering travelling to Switzerland - where assisted suicide is legal - to end her life. |
| But she is worried her husband, Omar Puente, could be prosecuted for going with her when he got back to the UK. | But she is worried her husband, Omar Puente, could be prosecuted for going with her when he got back to the UK. |
| Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK, and helping somebody to die carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years. | Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK, and helping somebody to die carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years. |
| If the law is not clarified, I may be forced to travel abroad alone before I am ready Debbie Purdy | If the law is not clarified, I may be forced to travel abroad alone before I am ready Debbie Purdy |
| Ms Purdy was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in March 1995. She can no longer walk and is gradually losing strength in her upper body. | Ms Purdy was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in March 1995. She can no longer walk and is gradually losing strength in her upper body. |
| She has suggested that at some point she may travel abroad and take a lethal dose of barbiturates prescribed by doctors at a clinic run by Swiss organisation Dignitas. | She has suggested that at some point she may travel abroad and take a lethal dose of barbiturates prescribed by doctors at a clinic run by Swiss organisation Dignitas. |
| Ms Purdy wants her husband to be at her side when she dies - but fears he may be prosecuted on his return. | Ms Purdy wants her husband to be at her side when she dies - but fears he may be prosecuted on his return. |
| Going alone | Going alone |
| If her husband is liable for prosecution Ms Purdy said she would have to travel abroad alone, and would have to contemplate going while she is healthy enough to do so - but before she is ready to die. | If her husband is liable for prosecution Ms Purdy said she would have to travel abroad alone, and would have to contemplate going while she is healthy enough to do so - but before she is ready to die. |
| Ms Purdy said: "I don't know what's going to happen to me in terms of the progression of my disease, and I don't know that my life will ever become unbearable. | Ms Purdy said: "I don't know what's going to happen to me in terms of the progression of my disease, and I don't know that my life will ever become unbearable. |
| "But I'm facing making a decision before I'm ready to about whether I want to end my life or not." | "But I'm facing making a decision before I'm ready to about whether I want to end my life or not." |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| She added: "I enjoy my life and the people around me, and I don't want to die until my condition becomes unbearable - I don't know if it will ever become unbearable. | She added: "I enjoy my life and the people around me, and I don't want to die until my condition becomes unbearable - I don't know if it will ever become unbearable. |
| "If the law is not clarified, I may be forced to travel abroad alone before I am ready. | "If the law is not clarified, I may be forced to travel abroad alone before I am ready. |
| "I want the right to make the choice. | "I want the right to make the choice. |
| "But if I know that my husband will not be prosecuted for accompanying me to Dignitas, I will be able to wait until I'm ready to go - because I can rely on his help." | "But if I know that my husband will not be prosecuted for accompanying me to Dignitas, I will be able to wait until I'm ready to go - because I can rely on his help." |
| She wants to know where the director of public prosecutions (DPP) would "draw the line" and prosecute someone who had helped a loved one go abroad to die; whether that is buying the plane tickets, pushing her wheelchair or looking up information. | |
| "Because it's so unclear, we don't know what my husband can do." | "Because it's so unclear, we don't know what my husband can do." |
| Choice | Choice |
| Ms Purdy successfully appealed in June for a judicial review in the High Court on the grounds that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) had acted illegally by not providing guidance. | |
| The DPP has not prosecuted any relative of the 100 UK citizens who have gone abroad to Dignitas clinics to die. | The DPP has not prosecuted any relative of the 100 UK citizens who have gone abroad to Dignitas clinics to die. |
| A law allowing assisted suicide could so easily be exploited or abused Dr Peter SaundersCare Not Killing | A law allowing assisted suicide could so easily be exploited or abused Dr Peter SaundersCare Not Killing |
| But the process of how that decision has been reached has not been made clear. | But the process of how that decision has been reached has not been made clear. |
| Although she was granted a full hearing they said the decision should not give Ms Purdy any optimism that her arguments would "ultimately succeed". | |
| A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said the DPP had no plans to issue further guidance. | A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said the DPP had no plans to issue further guidance. |
| "Each case must be reviewed individually in the light of all the available evidence and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors before deciding whether or not a prosecution should be brought." | "Each case must be reviewed individually in the light of all the available evidence and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors before deciding whether or not a prosecution should be brought." |
| Sarah Wootton, of campaign group Dignity in Dying, which is supporting Ms Purdy, said: "This case is about choice. Debbie should have the option to die at a time of her choosing should she feel her suffering has become unbearable." | Sarah Wootton, of campaign group Dignity in Dying, which is supporting Ms Purdy, said: "This case is about choice. Debbie should have the option to die at a time of her choosing should she feel her suffering has become unbearable." |
| But Dr Peter Saunders, of Care Not Killing, said: "It's not against the law to commit suicide - but assisting suicide is a crime. | But Dr Peter Saunders, of Care Not Killing, said: "It's not against the law to commit suicide - but assisting suicide is a crime. |
| "And it's a crime because a law allowing it could so easily be exploited or abused." | "And it's a crime because a law allowing it could so easily be exploited or abused." |
| In 2001 Diane Pretty, who had motor neurone disease, failed to get immunity from prosecution for her husband if he helped her to die in the UK. | In 2001 Diane Pretty, who had motor neurone disease, failed to get immunity from prosecution for her husband if he helped her to die in the UK. |
| Several attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Britain have been rejected. | Several attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Britain have been rejected. |
| The most recent, in 2006, was defeated in the House of Lords by 148 votes to 100. | The most recent, in 2006, was defeated in the House of Lords by 148 votes to 100. |
| Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Do you have a personal experience to share? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Do you have a personal experience to share? Send us your comments using the form below. |