Deborah Cooper: Prevention of Future Deaths Report (2)
18 Jul 2024 · Coroner David Ridley · Wiltshire & Swindon
The coroner's concerns
1. publication providing instructions for suicide
“marketing and supply of such a book giving such clear instructions and advice as regards different methods for an individual to end one's life is of the utmost concern as is the regulation as regards the supply of such publications whose sole purpose is to provide information to those contemplating on ending their lives”
2. limited liability of companies for publishing suicide instructions
“whilst there may be an offence under the Suicide Act 1961 as amended by the Coroners' and Justice Act 2009 to include a limited company the penalty for such an offence was not changed and it remains as imprisonment, and you cannot imprison a limited company”
3. lack of legislative deterrent for direct marketing of suicide instructions
“there appears to be nothing in the legislative arsenal to substantively dissuade Amazon UK from marketing this publication to members of the public and children, if supplied direct from their warehouse”