Police blasted for prosecuting man after suicide bid

AMENTAL health charity has criticised police and prosecutors for taking to court a man who tried to kill himself on the M6.

The man went on to the motorway at Great Barr with the intention of walking in front of traffic in a suicide bid.

But motorists spotted him and rang the police, who stopped the traffic and led him to safety.

However, even after hearing the background to his circumstances, they charged him with trespassing on a motorway and took the case to court.

Magistrates showed sympathy when they heard he was severely depressed – and gave him a lenient sentence.

Now, mental health charity Mind says suicidal people should not be criminalised, but should be shown compassion. Both the Crown Prosecution Service and West Midlands Police have stood by their decision to prosecute him.

The incident happened on May 31 on the M6 northbound carriageway between Spaghetti Junction and Junction 7.

Birmingham magistrates were told the 44-year-old man, who is not being named, had been

charged with walking on part of the route where pedestrians are excluded.

Officers attended, stopped traffic and led him to safety.

But he was later arrested.

It was then discovered he had been convicted of a similar offence in June 2018 of obstructing a railway line, for which he was given a community order.

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Dan Wayne, the man’s solicitor, said he suffered from depression and had gone on to the motorway with the intention of killing himself.

“When he went on to the railways last year he had also intended to end his own life,” he said. “But he is getting treatment and attending all his probation appointments.”

After hearing about his mental health issues, magistrates gave the man a six-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the case, mental health charity Mind said prosecuting a suicidal person only made matters worse.

Specialist adviser Alison Cobb said: “If someone finds themselves struggling with suicidal thoughts or attempting to take their own lives, they need to be dealt with sensitively, compassionately and with dignity and respect, rather than being criminalised and prosecuted, which only makes matters worse.”

West Midlands Police defended the decision to prosecute.

“The man was arrested on suspicion of traffic offences after being a pedestrian on the motorway,” a spokeswoman said. “He was assessed by medical professionals in custody and was deemed fit to be charged.

“The decision to charge was based on the evidence and was in the public interest due to the potential danger to members of the public and large disruption motorway closures cause.”

A CPS spokesman added there had been enough evidence to charge the man and achieve a “realistic prospect of conviction”.

The Samaritans can be contacted on on 116 123.

He was assessed by medical professionals and was deemed fit to be charged