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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent

Mercy killings guidance given to prosecutors in England and Wales

CPS England Wales Sarah Wootton
Mavis Eccleston
Mavis Eccleston was acquitted of murder and manslaughter by a jury in 2019 after surviving a suicide pact with her terminally ill husband, Dennis. Photograph: Matthew Cooper/PA

Prosecutors in England and Wales have been provided with guidance on when it may not be appropriate to bring charges in cases of mercy killings.

Mercy killings are not defined in statute and it is not a defence to murder or manslaughter. On Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for the first time set out a list of factors to consider when determining whether it is appropriate to bring charges.

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