Wife and son arrested after man’s suicide

 The wife and son of a frail 94-yearold were arrested on suspicion of assisting his suicide because they watched him deliberately overdose.

Ralph Snell took his own life on Jan 28 after suffering from osteoporosis that had left him with crippling back pain and insomnia for two years.

After being prescribed medication by his GP, Mr Snell told his wife Molly, 89, and son Richard, 68, that he wanted to kill himself at home in Lymington, New Forest, Hants. The pair “morally supported him” and watched as a “determined” Mr Snell took fatal doses of his drugs, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard. A doctor sent to their house after Richard dialled 111 to report the death called the police so officers could “ask them some questions”.

Det Con Kayleigh Rush of Hampshire Police told the inquest: “Both Richard and Molly Snell were arrested… No further action was taken against either of them as it wasn’t in the public interest to prosecute Richard and there was no realistic prospect of convicting Molly Snell.”

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded Mr Snell’s death as suicide.