Judges Reject Disabled Grandfather's Bid For Assisted Suicide Guidance
Right-to-die campaigners say it's a "slap in the face" as a bid to have guidance published on assisted suicide is rejected by judges.
A legal bid by a severely disabled grandfather for
guidance to be issued over assisted suicide in Scotland
has been rejected by judges.
Gordon Ross, who suffered from multiple health
problems including Parkinson's disease, died last
month aged 67.
He was admitted to hospital in Glasgow with
pneumonia and died on January 13 from that and his
other medical issues.
Mr Ross had been pursuing a court action in which he
wanted Scotland's top prosecutor, the Lord Advocate, to
issue ''sufficiently clear guidance'' clarifying whether any
person helping him end his life would be charged with
an offence.
Guidelines have been published by the Director of
Public Prosecutions (DPP) in England and Wales but
they do not apply in Scotland.
Mr Ross brought his case for a judicial review to the
Court of Session in Edinburgh in May last year seeking
the Lord Advocate to set out guidance on what
circumstances he would take into account in deciding
whether to prosecute someone who helped another individual end their life.
But a judge later dismissed the petition, saying the
policy is consonant with the rule of law''.
His appeal against the decision was heard by three
judges in December, with Mr Ross's legal team arguing
that the Lord Advocate's ''failure'' to produce guidelines
is incompatible with the disabled man's rights under the
European Convention on Human Rights.
Judges have now refused the appeal, saying the
criminal law in relation to assisted suicide in Scotland
is clear.
Right-to-die campaigners described the decision as a
real slap in the face''.