New assisted suicide guidelines will not permit mercy killings

Published: 3:49AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Keir Starmer: reviewing the manners on assisted self-murder Photo: AP

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer pronounced the new discuss about ""mercy-killing"" done sketch the line important.

He said: ""In the light of new contention about supposed mercy-killing it is critical to be transparent about what the process does not cover. It does not cover attempted attempted murder or manslaughter," he told the Times.

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""Assisted self-murder involves aiding the plant to take his or her own life. Someone who takes the hold up of an additional undertakes a really opposite action and might well be probable to a assign of attempted attempted murder or manslaughter. That eminence is an critical one that we all need to understand.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4"s Today programme, Mr Stamer pronounced today"s superintendence will have poignant differences from an early breeze following responses to a open consultation.

"We"ve strong really majority on the acts and the motives of the suspect, rather than the characteristics, for wish of a improved word, of the suspect."

Mr Starmer stressed that the Crown Prosecution Service had the finalise to ""prosecute in all cases where it would be suitable to do so"".

These would embody ""those in that people in exposed situations have been pressured in to suicide"".

A open conference was hold on his halt assisted self-murder process that was published in September.

Mr Starmer pronounced 5,000 people and groups responded, on condition that the majority endless image of views on the issue given the 1961 Suicide Act was passed.