Irish Court Buys The "Assisted Suicide" Defense

Here's another case where a husband clearly had killed his wife, claiming "assisted suicide." The court bought the argument, apparently.

Assisted suicide or manslaughter?

In December 2010, at the Crown Court in Sheffield, George Webb (known as Hugh Webb), was convicted of the manslaughter of his wife Beryl on the ground of diminished responsibility. The 72-year-old was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, but was granted leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

When the matter came on for hearing earlier this year, the following tragic story emerged. The couple, who had no children, had been married for nearly 50 years. While their marriage had not always been happy, during their last 15 years together they were a devoted couple “within the terms of their own relationship”. more