Crawley man who helped wife's suicide walks free

Robert Cook (60), from Crawley,who had manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and aiding and abetting his wife's suicide was given a 12 month suspended sentence for two years after the judge concluded that he acted out of 'diminished responsibility'.

Robert's wife, Vanessa, suffered from multiple sclerosis and, according to the judge, she had 'reached the end of her personal endurance'.

Having tried to commit suicide several times previously, Vanessa had begged her husband to ensure that she died.

He acted on her wishes when he placed a plastic bag and pillow over her face after she had taken an overdose of pills on October 19 2006.

The couple had been together for 29 years and the judge described them as like `two peas in a pod'.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette February 6