A woman who is being investigated by police for taking her husband, who had motor neurone disease, to Dignitas to die has said she has no regrets.
Louise Shackleton took her husband Anthony, 59, to Switzerland in December to assist his suicide, after he had suffered from the neurodegenerative condition for six years.
She has spoken publicly for the first time since his death as Parliament gears up to vote on assisted dying legislation in England and Wales.
Mrs Shackleton, who gave herself up to police after returning from Switzerland, told Sky News: ‘I have committed a crime, which I have admitted to, of assisting him by simply pushing him on to a plane and being with him, which I don’t regret for one moment. He was my husband and I loved him.’
After discussing it for more than two years, the couple had decided an assisted death was the only way Mr Shackleton could ‘die peacefully, with grace, without pain, without suffering’, his wife added.
It is illegal in the UK to assist someone’s suicide – but people are rarely prosecuted.
The assisted dying bill currently going through Parliament would allow someone with a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live to end their life, with approval from two doctors and a panel of experts.
The next vote on it has been postponed for three weeks, to give MPs time to think about amendments to the bill.
Louise Shackleton (pictured) took her husband Anthony (pictured), 59, to Switzerland in December to assist his suicide, after he had suffered from the neurodegenerative condition for six years
She has spoken publicly for the first time since his death as parliament gears up to vote on assisted dying legislation in England and Wales
Mrs Shackleton (pictured) said people need to be safeguarded – but equally, their wishes need to be respected, even if others are not comfortable with them or do not agreed
Mrs Shackleton said her husband finally relaxed when he boarded the plane to Switzerland at the end of last year – and was happy and at peace throughout the four-day trip.
The couple had been together for 25 years – and had known each other since they were both 18.
She said: ‘It was in those four days that I realised that he wanted the peaceful death more than he wanted to suffer and stay with me, which was hard, but that’s how resolute he was in having this peace.’
And if legislation had been different in the UK, she added, they could have also shared those final days with family.
Concerns have been raised that the assisted dying bill puts vulnerable people at risk, with fears they will feel coerced into making use of what the legislation would allow.
Critics of the bill have also said they worry that it will see attitudes towards the elderly, ill and disabled change – and that the focus should be on improving palliative care instead.
Mrs Shackleton said people need to be safeguarded – but equally, their wishes need to be respected, even if others are not comfortable with them or do not agreed.
She recalled the kindness and generosity of her husband, a furniture restorer who had been recognised globally for his handmade rocking horses – and who no one ever had a bad word to say about.
She said: ‘It was in those four days that I realised that he wanted the peaceful death more than he wanted to suffer and stay with me, which was hard, but that’s how resolute he was in having this peace’
She recalled the kindness and generosity of her husband (pictured), a furniture restorer who had been recognised globally for his handmade rocking horses – and who no one ever had a bad word to say about
She added that she chose to speak publicly because she did not want him to die in vain – and because he had made her promise, on his final day, to tell his story
She added that she chose to speak publicly because she did not want him to die in vain – and because he had made her promise, on his final day, to tell his story.
Mrs Shackleton said: ‘He told me to fight and the simple thing that I’m fighting for is people to have the choice.
‘This is about a dying person’s choice to either follow their journey through with disease or to die peacefully when they want to, on their terms, and have a good death. It’s that simple.’
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: ‘The investigation is ongoing. There is nothing further to add at this stage.’
