A British man,

David hunter, facing life in prison in Cyprus over the death of his 75-year-old terminally ill wife has been called ‘good and kind’ and a devoted husband by his daughter. the family say she was in ‘dreadful’ pain and had repeatedly asked her husband to end her life. Cases like this are heart-breaking. is it fair that while suicide is legal, those who are unable to do this themselves because they are disabled or impaired have to plead with loved ones to do this for them, knowing they risk prosecution? surely this is where medicine should step in? Over the years, i have flip-flopped on my view on assisted suicide — there’s always a risk it will be abused or misused. On the other hand, i simply cannot bear the idea that people are suffering and pleading with elderly partners to help. It doesn’t seem right to me. Faced with my partner, in pain and suffering, asking me to end their life, i know what i’d do.