The common law states anyone who assisted a person to bring about his or her death ought not to be subjected to criminal consequences even for those acting in a professional capacity, if found to be assisting or encouraging a person to commit suicide within their professional powers, they are likely to face prosecution in accordance with Section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961. In addition, if they are involved in arrangements amounting to euthanasia they will be prosecuted for manslaughter or murder. A decision by the Court to alter the common law so as to create a defence to murder in the case of active voluntary euthanasia would be to introduce a major change in an area where there are strongly held conflicting views which both raise a wider debate
