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R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions

Hearings

England & Wales

29 Oct 2008 [2008] EWHC 2565 (Admin); (2008) 104 BMLR 231; [2009] HRLR 7; The Times, 17 November 2008; [2009] UKHRR 94, DC (Scott Baker LJ, Aikens J)

19 Feb 2009 [2009] EWCA Civ 92; [2009] 1 Cr App R 32; (2009) 106 BMLR 170; (2009) 159 NLJ 309; The Times, 24 February 2009; [2009] UKHRR 1005, CA (Lord Judge CJ, Ward, Lloyd LJJ)

30 Jul 2009 (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening) [2009] UKHL 45; [2010] 1 AC 345; [2009] 3 WLR 403; [2009] 4 All ER 1147; [2010] 1 Cr App R 1; 106 BMLR 170; [2009] WLR (D) 271; (2009) 179 NLJ 1175; [2009] UKHRR 1104, HL(E) (Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Hope of Craighead, Baroness Hale of Richmond, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury)

Subject Matter

CRIME — Aiding and abetting — Suicide — Terminally ill claimant proposing suicide in country where assisted suicide lawful— Director of Public Prosecutions refusing to disclose factors he would take into account in deciding whether husband would be prosecuted for complicity in suicide if he assisted her to travel abroad— Convention right to respect for private life— Whether engaged— Whether statutory interference with right “in accordance with the law”— Whether Director to be required to promulgate offence-specific policy identifying facts and circumstances to be taken into account in deciding whether prosecution to be brought— Whether acts in England assisting person to travel to country where assisted suicide lawful for purpose of there committing suicide within scope of statutory offence— Suicide Act 1961 (9 & 10 Eliz 2, c 60), s 2(1)(4) (as amended by Criminal Law Act 1967 (c 58), Sch 3, Pt II and Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 (c 59), Sch 6, Pt I) — Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), Sch 1, Pt I, art 8(1)(2)

[2008] EWHC 2565 (Admin); (2008) 104 BMLR 231; [2009] HRLR 7; The Times, 17 November 2008; [2009] UKHRR 94, DC

[2009] EWCA Civ 92; [2009] 1 Cr App R 32; (2009) 106 BMLR 170; (2009) 159 NLJ 309; The Times, 24 February 2009; [2009] UKHRR 1005, CA

[2009] UKHL 45; [2010] 1 AC 345; [2009] 3 WLR 403; [2009] 4 All ER 1147; [2010] 1 Cr App R 1; 106 BMLR 170; [2009] WLR (D) 271; (2009) 179 NLJ 1175; [2009] UKHRR 1104, HL(E)

Appellate History

R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2008] EWHC 2565 (Admin); (2008) 104 BMLR 231; [2009] HRLR 7; The Times, 17 November 2008; [2009] UKHRR 94, DC

Decision of the Divisional Court affirmed

R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2009] EWCA Civ 92; [2009] 1 Cr App R 32; (2009) 106 BMLR 170; (2009) 159 NLJ 309; The Times, 24 February 2009; [2009] UKHRR 1005, CA

Decision of the Court of Appeal reversed

R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2009] UKHL 45; [2010] 1 AC 345; [2009] 3 WLR 403; [2009] 4 All ER 1147; [2010] 1 Cr App R 1; 106 BMLR 170; [2009] WLR (D) 271; (2009) 179 NLJ 1175; [2009] UKHRR 1104, HL(E)

Commentary

Blackstones Criminal Practice 2025
Encouraging or Assisting Suicide - Procedure B1.155

Cross-frontier Offences - General Rule A8.5

Cross-frontier Offences - Inchoate and Secondary Liability A8.8

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