Suicide of academic who told internet firm: I’ll be dead at 7pm
‘She knew her own mind’
A RETIRED professor was found dead at her home by police after she told her internet provider she was going to kill herself that evening, an inquest heard yesterday.
Dr Avril Henry, 82, who was friends with the controversial euthanasia supporter nicknamed Dr Death, had wanted to travel to Switzerland for an assisted suicide but could not because of mobility problems.
She bought lethal drugs from Mexico, leading police to raid her home looking for them on April 15, days before her death. Officers seized some of the medication, but not all of it.
On April 20 the academic rang her broadband provider, Zen Internet, saying she planned to kill herself at 7pm and asking for her account to be continued after her death, the inquest heard.
The internet firm alerted police, who arrived with her cleaner Emma Healey and solicitor William Michelmore at her detached home in Brampford Speke, Devon. Dr Henry was found in the bath, covered by a blanket, by her cleaner and solicitor.
PC Nic Holt found a small green bottle, a clear brandy glass, paperwork relating to her affairs and a typed letter headed ‘Suicide Note’.
Dr Henry was professor of English medieval culture at Exeter University until 2000 and also a member of Exit International, which advocates the legalisation of assisted dying. The group is run by campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke, nicknamed Dr Death, who was once banned from medicine and was known for advocating home euthanasia.
The inquest was told that although Dr Henry was not terminally ill she had a number of health problems and had wanted to end her life for 18 months. She had told several people – including her GP, cleaner and solicitor – that she wanted to die, the inquest heard.
She had died after taking a drug that is no longer available in the UK, had ordered the substance off the internet and had spoken about taking her life some 18 months before. Dr Henry, who was unmar- ried and did not have children, suffered from a number of painful conditions, including joint arthritis, spinal spondylosis and degenerative disease, asthma and incontinence, and made ‘no secret of her intention’ to end her life. Coroner John Tomalin told the inquest in Exeter: ‘Dr Henry sounds as if she was a lady who certainly knew her own mind. She was a bright, intelligent person – a retired professor.
‘However in later life she had suffered from a number of painful and debilitating conditions which unfortunately there was no cure for and these had been treated in symptom relief only.
‘The medical profession made it clear that she was not depressed, that she had full mental capacity to make her own decisions about when and how she would end her life.’
Dr Henry’s GP, Dr Stephen Vercoe, said he was aware she wanted to kill herself but could do little to help as she was not clinically depressed and could not be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Mr Tomalin recorded a verdict of suicide. He added: ‘I believe that Dr Henry set about an action that was intended to end her life by a method, and at a time and a place, that she directed herself.’ After the inquest, Dr Nitschke told The Guardian there were about five more police raids around the UK following that on Dr Henry’s house days before her death.
‘Generally they were let in, at which point they said they had information “from Interpol” that they had imported the euthanasia drug and that they should hand it over,’ he said. ‘The information was always correct.
‘Generally the drugs were handed over and they were asked about their involvement with Exit.’ ÷ For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www. samaritans.org for details.