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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| St Annes businessman Jeffrey Spector dies at Dignitas | St Annes businessman Jeffrey Spector dies at Dignitas |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British father-of-three who feared he would be paralysed by an inoperable tumour has died at the Dignitas centre in Switzerland. | |
| Businessman Jeffrey Spector, 54, of St Annes, Lancashire, died on Friday following a six-year illness. | Businessman Jeffrey Spector, 54, of St Annes, Lancashire, died on Friday following a six-year illness. |
| Mr Spector was surrounded by friends and family at a meal the night before his death. | Mr Spector was surrounded by friends and family at a meal the night before his death. |
| He told the Blackpool Gazette: "If I am paralysed and can't speak, send me to the spirit world." | He told the Blackpool Gazette: "If I am paralysed and can't speak, send me to the spirit world." |
| Hotel conversation | Hotel conversation |
| The married father of three daughters reportedly said that the condition was affecting his nervous system. | The married father of three daughters reportedly said that the condition was affecting his nervous system. |
| Journalist David Graham told BBC Radio Lancashire that he spoke to Mr Spector at his hotel near the clinic in Zurich. | Journalist David Graham told BBC Radio Lancashire that he spoke to Mr Spector at his hotel near the clinic in Zurich. |
| Mr Graham said Mr Spector, a director of an advertising agency, had had a series of consultations with leading surgeons across the UK. | Mr Graham said Mr Spector, a director of an advertising agency, had had a series of consultations with leading surgeons across the UK. |
| "He had one operation which failed and I think that spurred him on the Dignitas route," said Mr Graham. | "He had one operation which failed and I think that spurred him on the Dignitas route," said Mr Graham. |
| "He became a member of Dignitas some years ago… where you have to pay an annual fee… [so] this was in his mind for some time. Obviously it has also been in the mind of his three daughters and his wife." | "He became a member of Dignitas some years ago… where you have to pay an annual fee… [so] this was in his mind for some time. Obviously it has also been in the mind of his three daughters and his wife." |
| Suicide Act | Suicide Act |
| Mr Graham said Mr Spector's wife Elaine had dealt with his wishes and the media coverage of his death in "an extremely dignified manner". | Mr Graham said Mr Spector's wife Elaine had dealt with his wishes and the media coverage of his death in "an extremely dignified manner". |
| In England and Wales, the Suicide Act 1961 makes it an offence to encourage or assist a suicide or a suicide attempt. | In England and Wales, the Suicide Act 1961 makes it an offence to encourage or assist a suicide or a suicide attempt. |
| Last year the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, clarified assisted suicide guidelines, making the prosecution of health professionals less likely. | Last year the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, clarified assisted suicide guidelines, making the prosecution of health professionals less likely. |
| However, in April, disability rights campaigners who say that assisted suicide policy is too "liberal" won permission to bring a legal challenge to her policy. | However, in April, disability rights campaigners who say that assisted suicide policy is too "liberal" won permission to bring a legal challenge to her policy. |
| Dignitas which said it aided "accompanied suicide", often described as assisted suicide, has not commented specifically on the case. | Dignitas which said it aided "accompanied suicide", often described as assisted suicide, has not commented specifically on the case. |
| The charity, founded in 1998, said: "The main work of Dignitas is not assistance in dying but in fact suicide preventive work, above all suicide-attempt-prevention work in a broad sense." | The charity, founded in 1998, said: "The main work of Dignitas is not assistance in dying but in fact suicide preventive work, above all suicide-attempt-prevention work in a broad sense." |