A man who left almost totally paralysed by a stroke has launched legal proceedings to end his life.
Tony Nicklinson, 56, has "locked-in syndrome" and is only able to communicate by blinking and nodding to spell out words. He suffered a catastophic stroke on a business trip in Athens in 2005. His life was saved by Greek doctors - but he says he wishes now that they had let him die.
Mr Nicklinson is seeking clarification on the law to make sure that his wife Jane, 54, will not be prosecuted for murder and be given a mandatory life sentence if she takes direct action to end his life,
The court case comes after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, issued new guidelines on assisted suicide that make it unlikely that those who help loved ones end their lives for compassionate reasons will be prosecuted.
"Right-to-die" campaigner Debbie Purdy, who has multiple sclerosis, won a ruling from Law Lords to clarify the law. But while her case would be one of assisted suicide, because she would be able to take the final action to end her life, Mr Nicklinson's case would come under murder if a loved one took direct action to end his life.
Mr Nicklinson, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, said in a witness statement: "I have no privacy or dignity left. I am washed, dressed and put to bed by carers who are, after all, still strangers. I am fed up with my life and don't want to spend the next 20 years or so like this."
