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Assisted suicide man walks free Assisted suicide man walks free
(about 1 hour later)
A man who helped his seriously ill wife kill herself has been spared prison after being given a suspended sentence. A man who helped his seriously ill wife kill herself has been spared prison.
David March, 58, from Caterham, Surrey, admitted aiding and abetting the suicide of his 59-year-old wife. David March, 58, from Caterham, Surrey, admitted aiding and abetting the suicide of his 59-year-old wife Gillian, who had multiple sclerosis.
Gillian March had tried to take her own life twice before after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1984. Mrs March, who was diagnosed in 1984, said she wanted to die before her husband was too old to find love again.
On her third attempt, Mr March re-tied the string on a plastic bag she had put over her head. His nine-month sentence was suspended by a judge for 12 months. On her third suicide attempt, Mr March tied up a plastic bag she had put over her head. He was given a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months.
The couple had been married since 1979, but Mr March had to give up a job in advertising to care for his wife when she became ill. The couple had been married since 1979, but Mr March gave up a job in advertising to care for his wife after her illness led to her being confined to a wheelchair.
He took up work as a landscape gardener which allowed him to return to their home, in Harestone Valley Road, to do cooking and cleaning.He took up work as a landscape gardener which allowed him to return to their home, in Harestone Valley Road, to do cooking and cleaning.
You displayed a selfless devotion to your wife Judge Brian BarkerYou displayed a selfless devotion to your wife Judge Brian Barker
On 19 September last year, he found his wife with a bag over head when he went back to make her lunch.On 19 September last year, he found his wife with a bag over head when he went back to make her lunch.
Surrey Police said there was "unequivocal evidence" that she had been attempting to take her own life for a third time. Mr March re-tied the string she had put around the plastic bag's handles, held her hand for half an hour until she died and then called the emergency services.
Mr March re-tied the string his wife had put around the plastic bag's handles, held her hand until she died and then called the emergency services. He was charged with murder but his guilty plea to the lesser offence was accepted when a pathologist said it was not certain if Mrs March would have survived had her husband not tightened the string.
After passing sentence at the Old Bailey on Thursday, Judge Brian Barker said: "It is quite clear she was planning an escape route. She had tried to kill herself in June 2004 and again in June 2005, but Mr March phoned an ambulance the first time and his wife regained consciousness on the second occasion.
"She was clearly deteriorating and was particularly concerned about your position. I just want to be left alone to get on with my life David March
"Your wife was determined to control and then take her own life when she felt she had become too much of a burden. She spoke of a desire to end her life many years before in a diary she kept.
"You felt you had little choice but to respect her will. In 1992 Mrs March wrote: "It is the only way I can cope, having an escape route if things get too bad."
"You were a husband who not only had a deep love for his wife but who displayed a selfless devotion to her." As well as his suspended sentence, Mr March was told to carry out 50 hours' unpaid work at the Sutton and Croydon MS Therapy Centre, where he is already the chairman.
Judge Brian Barker, sitting at the Old Bailey, said: "You were a husband who not only had a deep love for his wife but who displayed a selfless devotion to her."
Speaking outside court, Mr March said: "I just want to be left alone to get on with my life.
"Obviously it's been difficult but I really don't want to comment about it at the moment."