The mother of a man who ended his life in secret at a Swiss clinic has said she is ‘angry and heartbroken’ that another family has been put through the same torment.
Judith Hamilton’s son Alastair travelled to the Pegasos assisted dying centre in Basel in August 2023.
Alastair had no diagnosed serious or terminal illness when he died at age 47 without telling his family.
The chemistry teacher paid the clinic £11,000 and his family had no idea of his plans and were not contacted by them.
He had told his mother he loved her and she thought he was going on holiday.
The case has echoes of the ordeal faced by the family of woman Anne Canning, 51, from Wales who ended her life at the same clinic in January this year unbeknown to her family.
She had been struggling with depression after the death of her son but did not have a diagnosed terminal illness.
The clinic claims to have attempted to contact her family before she took her own life which they refute.
Her sister Delia told ITV news this week: ‘She was one of the healthiest people we know.
“Anyone who loses a child probably wants to die and be with them.
hey looked me on the eye and promised. It seems the promise meant nothing.
‘It’s heartbreaking that another family is being put through this.
‘But with the right help, she could have got through it.’
The family only discovered she had died after finding goodbye letters. They contacted the clinic who only then confirmed the death.
Mrs Hamilton said she is ‘devastated’ that lessons were not learned after her son’s death.
She met with Pegasos and was promised that in the future families would be contacted before a client was allowed to go through with assisted dying.
She told Metro at the family home in west London: ‘They looked me on the eye and promised. It seems the promise meant nothing.
‘It’s heartbreaking that another family is being put through this.
‘Pegasos have a cavalier and heartless approach. If someone has deep enough pockets they can get assisted dying in Switzerland even if they are not terminally ill. I’m very angry nothing has changed and how many more families will have to suffer?’
Mrs Hamilton called for a change in the law in Switzerland so that families must be informed of a loved one’s intention to sign for assisted dying.
She added: ‘The Swiss law needs to be changed it’s too easy for people to choose to die without their family knowing.
”I’m not against assisted dying if it is done in the right way with people who are suffering. It needs to be done within very strict laws though.’
Pegasos told ITV News that they had tried to phone and text Anne’s family before she died.
What is Assisted Dying?
By Katie Boyden
This, and the language used, varies depending on who you ask.
Pro-change campaigners Dignity in Dying say that assisted dying allows a person with a terminal condition the choice to control their death if they decide their suffering is unbearable.
They argue that, along with good care, dying people who are terminally ill and mentally competent adults deserve the choice to control the timing and manner of their death.
But the campaign group Care Not Killing uses the terms ‘assisted suicide’ and ‘euthanasia’ to refer to the practice, and argues that the focus should be on ‘promoting more and better palliative care’ rather than changing the law.
The group says legalising assisted dying could ‘place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others’ and argues the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.
What is the current law?
Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.
What is happening at Westminster?
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had said he was ‘committed’ to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should his party win the general election, and now Kim Leadbeater is bringing forward the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
If the bill passes the first stage in the Commons, it will go to committee stage where MPs can table amendments, before facing further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Sir Keir, who has previously supported assisted dying, said he will not pressure his MPs on the issue – on which the government has pledged to remain neutral.
Asked if he is going to vote in favour of the legislation, he said: ‘Look, it’s going to be a free vote and I mean that. It will be for every MP to decide for themselves how they want to vote.
‘I’m not going to be putting any pressure whatsoever on Labour MPs. They will make their own mind up, as I will be.
‘Obviously a lot will depend on the detail and we need to get the balance right but I’ve always argued there will need to be proper safeguards in place.’
Ms Leadbeater’s bill applies only to England and Wales.
The clinic had promised the Hamiltons that if a person arrived unaccompanied a member of staff would stand over the patient and dial their family on speakerphone to check that they were aware of what was about to happen.
Mrs Hamilton added: ‘None of this happened in the latest case it seems. We feel we were lied to.’
Pegasos said in a statement to ITV News. ‘According to our protocols we do the best of our abilities that persons we assist have informed their loved ones of their plans to die.
‘Should we have reason to assume that no information has been provided to close family, we will refrain from proceeding without credible proof that they are aware. This hasn’t been the case lately.’
They added: ‘We understand that the assisted death of a loved person is a distressing time for the family.
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‘We are very sorry if Pegasos’ actions or communications have caused further distress to any affected family member at any time and thoroughly consider all concerns.’
‘Finally, we’d like to emphasize that – since our foundation in 2019 – all our actions have been in accordance with Swiss law.’
The Foreign Office said that it was aware of Anne’s case.
It said in statement: ‘We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Switzerland and are in contact with the local authorities.’
Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.
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