Hackney man’s assisted suicide: retired GP seeks legal clarity

A retired GP intends to turn himself in at Shoreditch Police Station this Friday (31 July), in a gesture designed to seek clarification of the law on assisted suicide.

Dr Michael Irwin provided financial assistance to Hackney resident Raymond Cutkelvin, who had terminal cancer, to attend a Swiss suicide clinic in 2007.

On 17 July, Cutkelvin’s partner of 28 years Alan Cutkelvin Rees was arrested at his flat in Hackney and bailed to return to Stoke Newington police station on 23 September to see whether he faces charges.

Dr Irwin has written an open letter to Hackney CID, stating that he will be voluntarily attending Shoreditch Police Station on Friday 31 July.

Assisting suicide is a crime in the UK that carries a jail sentence of up to 14 years, but no-one has ever been prosecuted for helping someone to travel to another country to end their life, and the law is currently unclear on this point.

In his letter, Dr Irwin writes:

“I have agreed to be interviewed by two CID officers at the Shoreditch police station on Friday, 31 July: then, I will openly explain my role (especially giving advice, moral support and financial assistance) in helping Raymond Cutkelvin to have a doctor-assisted suicide in Zurich in 2007.

As Alan Cutkelvin Rees has already been arrested for his involvement in this death, I will also expect to be arrested on 31 July. If I am not, then there should be an admission that it was a mistake to have arrested Alan earlier this month especially as, in view of the past history, I am 99 per cent certain that the advice of the DPP will be that Alan should not be charged in September.”

Dr Irwin’s open letter of 28 July 2009 to Hackney police can be read here.