Rugby player's parents will not be charged over suicide
Parents of paralysed rugby player will not be charged over helping him travel to suicide clinic in Switzerland
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Tuesday, 09, Dec 2008 02:32
The parents of a rugby player paralysed from the chest down will not be charged over helping him travel to a suicide clinic in Switzerland.
Daniel James, 23, died in September after being taken to the Dignitas clinic by his parents Mark and Julie.
The crown prosecution service said it was not in the public interest to pursue charges against Mr and Mrs James, despite there being "sufficient evidence for realistic prospect of a conviction".
Keir Starmer QC, director of public prosecutions, said: "This is a tragic case involving as it does the death of a young man in difficult and unique circumstances.
"While there are public interest factors in favour of prosecution, not least of which is the seriousness of this offence, I have determined that these are outweighed by the public interest factors that say that a prosecution is not needed."
Mr Starmer said Daniel was "fiercely independent" and was not influence by his parents or anyone else to take his own life.
"The evidence indicates he did so despite their imploring him not to," Mr Starmer said.
"I send my condolences to Daniel's family and friends."
Daniel was left paralysed and lost the ability to move his hands or fingers after an accident at a rugby training session in March last year.