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Father Killed DaughterIt was reported that James Lawson, 52, claimed that he "acted out of love" when he suffocated his mentally ill daughter. She had made three suicide attempts in one week.Mr Justice Nelson told Mr Lawson that society could not condone the taking of life, even when it could sympathise with the reasons. He would have sentenced him to two years in prison, but thought that the circumstances were "sufficiently exceptional" to suspend the sentence. His daughter, Sarah, had a history of depression, alcoholism, self-harm and suicide attempts, but, according to the family, despite much treatment, the health service had failed to diagnose Sarah's illness over the years. Later, Mr Lawson told police that he had helped his daughter to die because, "I could not fail her like everyone else had. I had to do it. Sarah is at rest now." |
At Maidstone Crown Court, the Judge made the following comments:
"I accept that, at all times, you believed you were acting in Sarah's best interests and out of love for her. "The fact you had in mind to help her from September, 1999, and found the situation unbearable, towards the end reaching breaking point, may indicate a background motivation to assist not just Sarah but your entire family including yourself, your wife and your son. I remain, however, of the view that you believed that what you were doing was for Sarah and was allowing her at last to be at rest." Mrs Lawson had needed psychiatric treatment because of her daughter's condition. After the Judge suspended the sentence, she
said, "Our family has paid a tremendous price but it would be so good if something tangible - some reform of the system - could
come out of it."
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