Julie James explained her decision to help her son kill himself in two emails to a newspaper earlier this month, in response to articles about the High Court “right to die” test case brought by multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy

“My heart goes out to Ms Purdy. Three weeks ago our son was at last allowed his wish of a dignfied death in the Dignitas apartment in Zurich. Dan was 23 years old and had broken his neck in a rugby accident in March 2007.

"He couldn't walk, had no hand function, but constant pain in all of his fingers. He was incontinent, suffered uncontrollable spasms in his legs and upper body and needed 24-hour care.

"Dan had tried to commit suicide three times but this was unsuccessful due to his disability. His only other option was to starve himself.

"Dan had been a lively and hugely active young man he was highly intelligent, lovable and so loved by his family.

"Whilst not everyone in Dan’s situation would find it as unbearable as Dan, what right does any human being have to tell any other that they have to live such a life, filled with terror, discomfort and indignity, what right does one person who chooses to live with a particular illness or disability have to tell another that that they should have to.”

In a second email she wrote:

“We returned from Switzerland on the 12 September after accompanying our 23 year old son who had been left tetraplegic after a rugby accident.

"Dan found his life so unbearable and had tried to commit suicide three times. Other than to starve himself, to travel to Switzerland was his only option.

"Whilst we were away some “well meaning" person involved with social services took it upon herself to call the police.

"This person had never met Dan before or after his accident and obviously gave no consideration for our younger daughters who had seen their big brother suffer so much, and the day before had to say goodbye to him.

"I hope that one day I will get the chance to speak to this lady and ask if she had a son, daughter, father, mother,who could not walk, had no hand function, was incontinent, and relied upon 24-hour care for every basic need and they had asked her for support, what would she have done?!

"Our son could not have been more loved and had he felt he could live his life this way he would have been loved just the same, but this was his right as a human being. Nobody but nobody should judge him or anyone else.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Fern Britton: 'I still can't see that I was wrong'
• Extreme cooking
• Easy French: Tarte Tatin