EXISTING law on assisted dying does not offer enough protection to potentially vulnerable people, Gwent's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has warned.

Jeff Cuthbert has lent his support to a new national campaign calling for an urgent review into the UK’s assisted dying laws.

The campaign by Dignity in Dying, Compassion is Not a Crime, is also backed by other PCCs a nd people who have been criminalised by current laws.

It calls on the Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland, to launch an inquiry into the functioning and impact of current legislation.

“In October I wrote to the Justice Secretary alongside 17 fellow Police and Crime Commissioners, to express our concerns with the current law on assisted dying, which has undeniably caused distress, confusion and pain for terminally ill people, their loved ones and even the investigating police officers themselves," said Mr Cuthbert.

“We are concerned that current legislation merely drives assisted deaths overseas or underground, that it does not offer adequate protection to potentially vulnerable people, and that it is near-impossible to enforce in most cases.

“Law enforcers have an important perspective to offer, and I hope law makers will provide an opportunity for us to share our views.”

Among the PCCs writing to the Justice Secretary was the former Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham, Ron Hogg, who died of motor neurone disease in December 2019. Ron used his final months to call for reform on assisted dying.

Assisted dying is banned under Section 2(1) of the Suicide Act 1961, which states that a person found guilty of “assisting a suicide” can be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

Former Justice Secretary David Gauke expressed support for a call for evidence on assisted dying laws last year. This was backed by cross-party MPs in a Commons debate in July, during Justice Questions in October and in a joint letter later that month.

“Compassion should not be a crime, but under the UK’s blanket ban on assisted dying, it is," said Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying.

"Not only are dying people denied the right to die on their own terms, forcing them to resort to drastic measures at home and abroad, but their family members are then criminalised for acts of love.

“An inquiry would enable the views of those most affected to be heard - terminally ill people, their loved ones, the police and other public services.

"We call on the Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland, to launch a call for evidence as a matter of urgency. Our outdated assisted dying laws deserve to be scrutinised, not dying people or their loving families."