Diane Pretty

motor neurone disease. She said "I want to have a quick death without suffering, at home surrounded by my family".^[1]

motor neurone disease several years before. Over time, the disease worsened and made it impossible for her to move or communicate easily even though her mental faculties remained normal. The illness resulted in her having to be looked after round the clock by her husband and nurses, meaning that she could not commit suicide, which she had said she would do if she was able to.^[2] She stated a wish that her husband should be able to assist her in ending her life, but this is classed as assisted suicide, which is a criminal offence in England and Wales under the Suicide Act 1961. Because suicide is a lawful option for those capable of committing it; it could be argued that refusing the option to those disabled could be considered discrimination, which is unlawful under both UK and European law. As such, assisting someone in committing suicide who cannot do so themselves cannot be considered a "service" which can be deprived. Neither of these were argued in the courts.^[3]

Pretty v. United Kingdom that the European Convention on Human Rights did not provide a right to die,^[5] and her appeal to that court also failed.^[6]