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09/12/2008
No Charges Over Rugby Player Assisted Suicide
The parents of a paralysed rugby player who travelled to Switzerland to commit suicide will not face charges, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
Daniel James, 23, of Worcester, died at the Dignitas clinic on September 12, more than a year after he was paralysed from the chest down as the result of a rugby accident.
The 23-year-old's parents, Mark and Julie, were investigated by police after the death of their son.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said it would not be in the public interest to pursue the case.
Mr Starmer 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 the offence, I have determined that these are outweighed by the public interest factors that say that a prosecution is not needed."
He added: "In particular, but not exclusively, I would point to the fact that Daniel, as a fiercely independent young man, was not influenced by his parents to take his own life and the evidence indicates he did so despite their importing him not to."
After a training ground injury in March last year left Daniel was tetraplegic and unable to use his limbs.
He died with his parents at his bedside at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.
(JM)
Daniel James, 23, of Worcester, died at the Dignitas clinic on September 12, more than a year after he was paralysed from the chest down as the result of a rugby accident.
The 23-year-old's parents, Mark and Julie, were investigated by police after the death of their son.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said it would not be in the public interest to pursue the case.
Mr Starmer 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 the offence, I have determined that these are outweighed by the public interest factors that say that a prosecution is not needed."
He added: "In particular, but not exclusively, I would point to the fact that Daniel, as a fiercely independent young man, was not influenced by his parents to take his own life and the evidence indicates he did so despite their importing him not to."
After a training ground injury in March last year left Daniel was tetraplegic and unable to use his limbs.
He died with his parents at his bedside at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.
(JM)
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