Held, wife and son who watched 94-year-old take own life
A 94-yeAr-old man in ‘agonising’ pain killed himself by overdosing on prescription medication as his loyal wife and son ‘calmly’ watched, an inquest heard.
ralph Snell, who suffered from osteoporosis, died ‘peacefully’ at his home after becoming ‘determined’ that he did not want to carry on living.
The frail pensioner – who had previously taken an overdose and tried to electrocute himself – told son richard, 68, and wife Molly, 90, that he wanted to kill himself after he was prescribed morphine and sleeping tablets by his GP.
The pair ‘morally supported him’, with richard admitting he had opened the bottle of morphine for his father. He added that he’d even ‘bought him some chocolate cake and whisky to have with the tablets as a bit of a treat’.
richard and Mrs Snell then watched as Mr Snell drank the medication and swallowed tablets in his armchair at home before he passed away. Following his death a doctor was sent to the house in lymington, Hampshire, in January, and richard and Mrs Snell were consequently arrested on suspicion of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another.
But an inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court yesterday heard that the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take any further action against them.
The hearing was told that Mr Snell, a retired legal shorthand writer, had painful osteoporosis on the right side of his spine which caused insomnia. He had previously been hospitalised with back pain and became so desperate he had tried to electrocute himself.
In a statement, richard Snell’s partner Alison Henry said they received a call in January from Mr Snell, who said he wanted to ‘end his life’. She said: ‘He [ralph] said he thought he could get drugs to end his life.’ Speaking at the inquest, richard, from Somerset, said: ‘I said to him we should visit his GP and see what advice he could give him. His GP Ian Murray was the only medical professional that he trusted.
‘The next day we went to his GP, and as expected, dr Murray said he could not assist him with his suicide because it is highly unethical and illegal.
‘However he did prescribe [medication] to ease the pain [and] to help with his sleeping. That afternoon ralph said he wanted to initiate the suicide process. Molly and I supported his decision.
‘He was very quiet while he was doing it, he was determined to do it. I opened the bottle of morphine for him as he was not strong enough.’ richard told the inquest the process took so long that his mother went to bed.
Half an hour later, at 8pm, Mr Snell peacefully passed away in his armchair. The 111 service sent an out-of-hours doctor, who was obliged to call police.
Senior Coroner Grahame Short gave a ruling of suicide and told richard that Mr Snell had put his family in an ‘extremely difficult’ situation. He added: ‘I do understand your decision to support ralph with his suicide.’
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‘I bought him cake and whisky’