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| More Britons join suicide clinic | More Britons join suicide clinic |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The UK has the third highest number of people registered with the Swiss suicide clinic Dignitas, a BBC investigation has found. | The UK has the third highest number of people registered with the Swiss suicide clinic Dignitas, a BBC investigation has found. |
| The number of Britons on the charity's list has risen to 725, behind only Switzerland and Germany, 5live found. | The number of Britons on the charity's list has risen to 725, behind only Switzerland and Germany, 5live found. |
| Dignitas says they have paid a fee, allowing them to book a date to travel to the country to end their lives. | Dignitas says they have paid a fee, allowing them to book a date to travel to the country to end their lives. |
| There have so far been no prosecutions of relatives of 101 UK citizens who have gone to the Dignitas clinic. | There have so far been no prosecutions of relatives of 101 UK citizens who have gone to the Dignitas clinic. |
| Since the Dignitas centre opened in 1998, UK membership has increased every year. | Since the Dignitas centre opened in 1998, UK membership has increased every year. |
| In Switzerland it is legal to aid and abet a suicide, provided it has not been carried out for a profit. | In Switzerland it is legal to aid and abet a suicide, provided it has not been carried out for a profit. |
| In order to exist, to live a life, you have to touch life or life touches you Noel Martin | In order to exist, to live a life, you have to touch life or life touches you Noel Martin |
| It is illegal in the UK and anyone convicted faces up to 14 years in prison. | It is illegal in the UK and anyone convicted faces up to 14 years in prison. |
| Noel Martin, who is 49, is paralysed from the neck down and needs round-the-clock care, has registered with Dignitas. | Noel Martin, who is 49, is paralysed from the neck down and needs round-the-clock care, has registered with Dignitas. |
| He was left paralysed after a block of concrete was thrown through his car windscreen in Germany in 1996 and he hit a tree. | He was left paralysed after a block of concrete was thrown through his car windscreen in Germany in 1996 and he hit a tree. |
| During a debate on BBC 5live, Mr Martin spoke with Liz Carr, who uses a wheelchair and also needs 24-hour care but has a different attitude towards living with a disability. | During a debate on BBC 5live, Mr Martin spoke with Liz Carr, who uses a wheelchair and also needs 24-hour care but has a different attitude towards living with a disability. |
| He said: "In order to exist, to live a life, you have to touch life or life touches you - and I haven't got any feelings, it's an empty vessel. | He said: "In order to exist, to live a life, you have to touch life or life touches you - and I haven't got any feelings, it's an empty vessel. |
| "You can't be alive, you're just existing." | "You can't be alive, you're just existing." |
| But Ms Carr disagreed, saying: "I don't think I've met many people that are living more than you, that have more life than you have... | But Ms Carr disagreed, saying: "I don't think I've met many people that are living more than you, that have more life than you have... |
| "I see how passionate you are... about love, about all the things that make us human." | "I see how passionate you are... about love, about all the things that make us human." |
| Test case | Test case |
| Last month, a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis lost her High Court attempt to clarify UK law on assisted suicide. | Last month, a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis lost her High Court attempt to clarify UK law on assisted suicide. |
| Debbie Purdy, 45, from Bradford, has suggested that in the future she may want to travel to Dignitas to die. | Debbie Purdy, 45, from Bradford, has suggested that in the future she may want to travel to Dignitas to die. |
| She wants her husband by her side and sought clarification on whether he will be prosecuted on his return home. | She wants her husband by her side and sought clarification on whether he will be prosecuted on his return home. |
| But two senior judges said the current guidelines were adequate and did not require clarification. | But two senior judges said the current guidelines were adequate and did not require clarification. |
| While there have been no prosecutions to date, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has carried out investigations. | While there have been no prosecutions to date, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has carried out investigations. |
| An investigation is currently under way into the death of Daniel James - the last Briton to die at Dignitas. | |
| The 23-year-old, from Worcester, was paralysed in a rugby accident and ended his life last month even though he was not terminally ill. | The 23-year-old, from Worcester, was paralysed in a rugby accident and ended his life last month even though he was not terminally ill. |
| His parents are being investigated by police and a report will be referred to the complex case unit of the Crown Prosecution Service. | His parents are being investigated by police and a report will be referred to the complex case unit of the Crown Prosecution Service. |