Suicide man used camera on advice (From The Northern Echo)

Suicide man used camera on advice

8:38am Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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THE final moments of a disabled pensioner who took his own life at a Swiss suicide clinic were captured on film, it has emerged.

Police investigating Douglas Sinclair’s death have seized the DVD, which shows the 76-year-old retired engineer drinking a lethal cocktail of drugs before turning to the camera, smiling and giving the thumbs up.

It has also emerged that Mr Sinclair first took legal advice on ending his life in October last year.

Last night, Mr Sinclair’s solicitor, Christopher Potts, of South Shields-based firm Patterson, Glenton and Stracey, said of the DVD: “Mr Sinclair seemed very peaceful.

“He drank a beaker of lethal cocktail and turned to the camera and smiled.

“He then thanked the Dignitas nurses who were in the room and he gave the thumbs up to the camera. He was an extremely pleasant man.”

Mr Sinclair’s only daughter, Helen, 41, lives in Darlington.

Two friends of Mr Sinclair, who suffered from multiple system atrophy, have been bailed after being arrested on suspicion of assisting his suicide.

Lawyers for Mr Sinclair, who, until his illness, had lived in Highfield Drive, in South Shields, represented both suspects when they were questioned by police on their return from Switzerland.

A multi-agency meeting, with medical, legal and social services staff was held by South Tyneside Council nine months ago after Mr Sinclair told staff at Stapleton House Care Home, in Jarrow, South Tyneside, of his decision.

“The council committee basically understood within minutes that he desperately wanted to do this and they accepted his decision,” said Mr Potts.

“The two people arrested were friends who were caught in an impossible situation.

People should remember they have lost a very dear friend and they need to grieve too.”

Mr Sinclair suffered for more than two years from the rare disorder, which has symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, including loss of control of muscles, and caused his body to slowly shut down.

He lost his wife Monica to leukaemia ten years ago.

Mr Potts said Mr Sinclair first told him he was contemplating assisted suicide in October 2009.

Mr Potts was told by Mr Sinclair, who was formerly a keen golfer, that he felt his quality of life was only going to get worse and he had no reason to live.

In a last ditch attempt to improve his state of mind, Mr Sinclair moved into a care home but was back in touch with his solicitor a month later, saying he wished to die.

The Catholic priest who conducted Mr Sinclair’s funeral service on Thursday said the church did not condone euthanasia.

Father Michael Weymes added: “Obviously there is always the need to be compassionate.

Doug had a very debilitating condition and the death of his wife and his health only continuing to deteriorate obviously influenced the decision he made.”