In England and Wales there is a possibility of up to 14 years imprisonment for anybody assisting a suicide. Oddly, suicide itself is not a crime. Like France, there are laws banning a publication if it leads to a suicide or assisted suicide. But 'Final Exit' can be seen in bookstores in both countries.

CONSENT IRRELEVANT

Suicide has never been illegal under Scotland's laws. There is no Scots authority of whether it is criminal to help another to commit suicide, and this has never been tested in court.

The killing of another at his own request is murder, as the consent of the victim is irrelevant in such a case. A person who assists another to take their own life, whether by giving advice or by the provision of the means of committing suicide, might be criminally liable on a number of other grounds such as: recklessly endangering human life, culpable homicide (recklessly giving advice or providing the means, followed by the death of the victim), or wicked recklessness.