As anounced earlier – see newsitem this website from September 21 – the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keir Starmer QC, has published the long awaited guidelines on the prosecution of cases of assisting suicide yesterday. They must be considered to act as an interim policy. He called for public participation in a 12-week consultation period, focussing on the questions he identified in this policy, open till December 16 this year. A finalised policy will then be issued in Spring 2010.
The website of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published both a press release and the consultation document. The latter contains the specified questions as well. Reactions and comments are welcome on either the e-mail of CPS, or – using the print of the consultation document – by post to:
Assisted Suicide Policy Team, Crown Prosecution Service Headquarters – 6th floor, 50 Ludgate Hill, LONDON EC 4 M 7 EX.