A woman who helped an elderly friend to commit suicide was spared jail yesterday by a judge who said that she had acted “out of love and affection”.

Alison Bird, 45, who faced a maximum 14-year sentence, wept after she pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the suicide of George Howell, a family friend.

Mr Howell, 84, a Royal Navy veteran of the Korean War who was losing his sight, had repeatedly asked her to help him to kill himself.

Swindon Crown Court was told that Ms Bird gave him an overdose of pain-killers along with a glass of whisky.

Ms Bird, a mother of three, had gone to his home with her 13-year-old twins and given him 40 co-proxamol tablets before calling an ambulance. Mr Howell briefly regained consciousness to tell paramedics: “I don’t want to live.” He died later in hospital.

Judge Douglas Field, sentencing Ms Bird to nine months in prison suspended for one year, said: “I’m satisfied that you were extremely fond of George Howell. He was part of your family and he was treated as a father to you.

“When he was 84 and his health was failing he was determined to end his own life. In my judgment he was extremely persistent with you about his desire and put great pressure on you. I quite accept that you acted out of your love and affection for him to foolishly help him to take his own life.

“I hope your family can put this behind you. It must have had a devastating effect on all of you.”

Mr Howell, the patron of a charity for disabled children, was widowed in 1992 and subsequently had a relationship with Ms Bird’s grandmother, Joan, until her death four years ago.

Mark Ruffell, for the defence, said that Mr Howell had given up his car because of his failing eyesight and had told relatives that he would kill himself rather than lose his independence.

In a statement to police, Ms Bird said: “He said he was going to take his tablets and that would be the end of it.

We had a cuddle and he went to see my kids, to say goodbye to them.

“He wanted to take the tablets and I thought, ‘He can’t do this on his own’. He was crying and totally upset. He had some whisky and asked me to put the tablets in a glass. I did and he had about 40 tablets which, with the alcohol, caused his death.”

Ms Bird – who was also three times over the drink-drive limit - called an ambulance to his home as soon as Mr Howell lost consciousness.

Mr Ruffell said: “She didn’t want him to take the tablets and tried to talk him out of it, but he went on at her and eventually she gave in.

“She had been drinking, which must have impaired her judgment. She thinks it might have made her more prone to giving in.

“Nonetheless, as soon as he looked like he was asleep she called an ambulance. Mr Howell regained consciousness and told paramedics, ‘I don’t want to live, and as soon as I’m out of hospital I’ll do this again’. ”

Ms Bird left court in tears.

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