Suicide Act 1961

1961 CHAPTER 60

 

An Act to amend the law of England and Wales relating to suicide, and for purposes connected therewith

 

[3rd August 1961]

 

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:–

 

1 Suicide to cease to be a crime

The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a person to commit suicide is hereby abrogated.

 

2  Criminal liability for complicity in another's suicide

(1)   A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

 

(2)   If on the trial of an indictment for murder or manslaughter it is proved that the accused aided, abetted, counselled or procured the suicide of the person in question, the jury may find him guilty of that offence.

 

(3)   The enactments mentioned in the first column of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments provided for in the second column (which preserve in relation to offences under this section the previous operation of those enactments in relation to murder or manslaughter).

 

(4)   . . . no proceedings shall be instituted for an offence under this section except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.