Wednesday December 17th 2008
At the same time as the Craig Ewert incident was being reported, news was released that the parents of Daniel James would not be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service for accompanying their son to the Dignitas Clinic in September 2008. This was something of a landmark decision. Daniel was the only person from the UK who had chosen to end his life in this way even though his condition was not terminal.
Telegraph
Guardian
Mirror
Sunday October 26th 2008
A rugby injury in March 2007 left a young man, Daniel James, paralysed for life. The student was left paralysed from the chest down after his spine was dislocated when a scrum collapsed during training with Nuneaton Rugby Club. Despite several operations and a period of convalescence at a private health clinic, Daniel’s condition failed to improve. He made several attempt to end his own life, but these failed. In accordance with his wishes he was taken by his parents to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, where his life was ended.
Daniel had been an enthusiastic rugby player. He had played for England Schoolboys and was not able to adapt to what he described as “a second-class existence”.
This incident seems to be unprecedented. It is the first time that a person from the UK has travelled to the Dignitas Clinic with a condition that was not essentially terminal.
Daniel’s story Times Newspapers
Sunday Times Comment
Guardian Mary Warnock
BBC BBC report on the Police enquiry.
