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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| No charges over assisted suicide | No charges over assisted suicide |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| No charges will be brought over the death of a paralysed rugby player in a Swiss assisted suicide clinic. | No charges will be brought over the death of a paralysed rugby player in a Swiss assisted suicide clinic. |
| Mark and Julie James were investigated by UK police after the death of son Daniel, 23, of Worcester, in September. | Mark and Julie James were investigated by UK police after the death of son Daniel, 23, of Worcester, in September. |
| Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said there was "sufficient evidence" to prosecute the couple. | Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said there was "sufficient evidence" to prosecute the couple. |
| But he said their "fiercely independent son" had not been influenced by his parents and so charging them would not be in the public interest. | But he said their "fiercely independent son" had not been influenced by his parents and so charging them would not be in the public interest. |
| Custodial penalty 'unlikely' | Custodial penalty 'unlikely' |
| Mr Starmer said: "While there are public interest factors in favour of prosecution, not least of which is the seriousness of this offence, I have determined that these are outweighed by the public interest factors that say that a prosecution is not needed. | Mr Starmer said: "While there are public interest factors in favour of prosecution, not least of which is the seriousness of this offence, I have determined that these are outweighed by the public interest factors that say that a prosecution is not needed. |
| "In particular, but not exclusively, I would point to the fact that Daniel, as a fiercely independent young man, was not influenced by his parents to take his own life and the evidence indicates he did so despite their imploring him not to." | "In particular, but not exclusively, I would point to the fact that Daniel, as a fiercely independent young man, was not influenced by his parents to take his own life and the evidence indicates he did so despite their imploring him not to." |
| He added: "I consider it very unlikely that a court would impose a custodial penalty on any of the potential defendants... in all probability the sentence would be either an absolute discharge or, possibly, a small fine." | He added: "I consider it very unlikely that a court would impose a custodial penalty on any of the potential defendants... in all probability the sentence would be either an absolute discharge or, possibly, a small fine." |
| Not a day has gone by without hoping it will be my last Daniel James in a letter to the clinic | Not a day has gone by without hoping it will be my last Daniel James in a letter to the clinic |
| Mr Starmer said that Mark James had told him in interview that "even up to the last second... I hoped he'd change his mind... and my wife... I know she felt exactly the same." | Mr Starmer said that Mark James had told him in interview that "even up to the last second... I hoped he'd change his mind... and my wife... I know she felt exactly the same." |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said no charges would be brought against a family friend, also under investigation by West Mercia police, who helped with the travel arrangements to Switzerland. | The Crown Prosecution Service said no charges would be brought against a family friend, also under investigation by West Mercia police, who helped with the travel arrangements to Switzerland. |
| Mr James, a third year construction engineering student at Loughborough University, had played for Nuneaton Rugby Club, the England Universities rugby team and England Students team. | Mr James, a third year construction engineering student at Loughborough University, had played for Nuneaton Rugby Club, the England Universities rugby team and England Students team. |
| He was paralysed from the chest down, with no independent hand or finger movement, as a result of an injury sustained in a scrum while training at Nuneaton Rugby Club on 12 March, 2007. | He was paralysed from the chest down, with no independent hand or finger movement, as a result of an injury sustained in a scrum while training at Nuneaton Rugby Club on 12 March, 2007. |
| Kill himself | |
| Eight months later he was informed he would never make a significant recovery. | Eight months later he was informed he would never make a significant recovery. |
| After the accident he tried to kill himself three times. | After the accident he tried to kill himself three times. |
| His parents were at his bedside when he died at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland on 12 September. | His parents were at his bedside when he died at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland on 12 September. |
| Writing to Dignitas, Mr James said that "not a day has gone by without hoping it will be my last". | |
| Psychiatrists said Mr James had arrived at his decision using clear, coherent and logical thought processes. | Psychiatrists said Mr James had arrived at his decision using clear, coherent and logical thought processes. |
| A consultant psychiatrist said after an assessment in March that Mr James was "fully aware of the reality and potential finality of his decision". | A consultant psychiatrist said after an assessment in March that Mr James was "fully aware of the reality and potential finality of his decision". |
| The campaign group Dignity in Dying welcomed the CPS's decision and said the law should be clarified. | |
| The organisation's head Sarah Wootton said a lack of a safeguarded choice forced people into making "desperate and often dangerous decisions". | |
| She said: "People are travelling abroad to die, there are 'mercy killings', botched suicides and some doctors already assist their patients to die at great potential cost to their livelihood and freedom." |