More than a year after the start of the prosecution of Mr. Rees and Dr. Michael Irwin because of their assistance to Mr Raymond Cutkelvin to have his assisted suicide realised at Dignitas in Switzerland, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced he would take no further action to both.
In February 2007 Mr. Raymond Cutkelvin was assisted with his suicide at the Dignitas Clinic in Zürich, Switzerland. His partner Mr. Rees and Dr. Michael Irwin both helped him realise his ultimate wish, the first by travelling with him to Zürich and the latter by paying a substantial part of the necessary fees. All are in principle against the UK law.
After a police investigation – more than two years later – both Mr. Rees and Dr. Michael Irwin were arrested, interviewed and subsequently released on bail. This bail was extended a number of times. But finally, on June 25, 2010, DPP Keith Starmer QC decided and declared that “…..while there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Alan Cutkelvin Rees and Dr Michael Irwin in relation to the death of Raymond Cutkelvin at a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland in February 2007, such a prosecution would not be in the public interest and no further action should be taken against them.”
His statement can be read by clicking here. It is worth reading, one of the first decisions after DPP’s formal guideline was published!