Gosling arrest will test assisted suicide guidelines

The veteran TV presenter Ray Gosling, who admitted in the course of a programme broadcast on Monday night that he smothered to death with a pillow a man who was dying from Aids, was arrested by Nottinghamshire Police this morning on suspicion of murder.

What the police do next will be a test of the guidelines issued last September by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, regarding assisted suicide. The guidance was designed to make it easier for those who are considering helping a relative or friend end their lives to know if they are likely to face prosecution.

As reported on The First Post, Gosling admitted during Monday night's Inside Out programme, made by BBC East Midlands, that he had ended the life of his lover who was suffering "terrible pain" from Aids, after a hospital doctor said there was nothing that could be done for him.

Gosling, who did not name either his lover or the hospital, told the programme presenter Marie Ashby: "I said to the doctor: 'Leave me... just for a bit,' and he went away.

"I picked up the pillow and smothered him until he was dead. The doctor came back and I said: 'He's gone.' Nothing more was ever said."

Gosling said he was aware of the possible consequences of telling his story but that he had no regrets. He said he and his lover had an agreement that he should take action if his suffering increased.

"We had a pact - he said if the pain gets bad and if nothing can be done, don't let him linger on. I don't think it's a crime."

In fact, assisted suicide does remain a criminal offence in Britain.
However, Starmer's guidelines make it clear that one factor mitigating against prosecution would be the "victim" having "indicated unequivocally to the suspect that he or she wished to commit suicide".

Starmer said at the time: "There are no guarantees against prosecution and it is my job to ensure that the most vulnerable people are protected while at the same time giving enough information to those people... who want to be able to make informed decisions about what actions they may choose to take."

But he stressed: "Assisting suicide has been a criminal offence for nearly 50 years and my interim policy does nothing to change that."

Nottinghamshire Police would only say this morning: "A 70-year-old Nottingham man was arrested earlier on suspicion of murder following comments made on the BBC's Inside Out programme on Monday evening." ·