A man suffering from locked-in syndrome is set to continue his legal battle for his right to die, despite losing his initial case, heard alongside that of Tony Nicklinson.
The man, who is legally referred to simply as 'Martin', had a stroke four years ago and is left paralysed from the neck down.
His case for the right to die ran concurrently with that of Tony Nicklinson who passed away last month, six days after learning that his case had been unsuccessful.
Martin's case differs from that of Mr Nicklinson's in that he is seeking professional help to end his own life, possibly by having someone accompany him to Dignitas in Switzerland.
Although Martin's wife could assist him in his journey and would be unlikely to face prosecution for doing so, she feels unable to assist him in ending his own life.
Speaking to the BBC, she explained that she desperately doesn't want him to die, but respects his wishes to do so.
"As much as I might not want him to go, that's his decision. I could never end somebody's life. That's who I am," she said.
"Some people with locked-in syndrome are able to thrive on what life they have - but certainly for Martin and Tony it's not what they wanted. It's very difficult for them to cope with living that life," she added.
The High Court turned down both cases last month, ruling that a change in the law in this area was for the consideration of Parliament not for the courts.
Politicians seem unwilling to review the law in this area, something that is supported by the medical profession who fear that a change in the law will put pressure on doctors to assist their patients to die.
The legal team representing Martin has applied for leave to appeal the High Court decision and expects a ruling on this in the coming few weeks.
His solicitor is Rosa Curling of Leigh Day & Co.
"Martin needs to know what his options are. We're seeking better clarification on the guidelines from the Director of Public Prosecutions," she said.
Source:
Locked-in man continues legal fight for 'right to die' (BBC News)
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