[Right_to_die] Man who smothered sick wife spared from prison sentence by UK Supreme Court

[World right-to-die news list (nonprofit)]

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The Independent in London reported 27 Jan 11:

Mercy killing' pensioner freed over wife's death

By Kevin Rawlinson

A pensioner who smothered his suicidal wife in a "mercy killing" was 
spared a two-year prison sentence yesterday. George Webb's wife of 49 
years, suffered from several ailments – some real and some imagined – 
and had considered suicide for years.

Beryl Webb, 75, begged her 73-year-old husband to help her die and 
eventually attempted suicide in May last year. After he became worried 
that the attempt would fail, Mr Webb smothered her.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sitting in London with Mr Justice 
Eady and Mr Justice Simon, allowed his appeal. Lord Judge emphasised 
that the "tragic case" was not one of assisted suicide but of 
manslaughter, albeit with diminished responsibility because of Mr Webb's 
state of mental health.

The court heard that Mr Webb had developed a psychiatric condition, 
described as a "significant" adjustment disorder, and that one of its 
prominent features was depression. The judge said: "It is clear from the 
evidence... that the mental turmoil engendered by the impossible 
situation in which he had found himself must have been dreadful."

Mr Webb had spent 90 days in custody. The prison term imposed by 
Sheffield Crown Court was replaced with a suspended 12-month sentence.

Lord Judge said the court did not believe that "in the unusual and 
particular circumstances", the "principle of the sanctity of human life 
would be undermined". It would mean "that this lonely old man may 
receive the help that he will need to come to terms with the disaster 
that has overtaken him".

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