• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Assisted dying clinic apologises after helping British man die in secret

Home> News> UK News

Published 10:27 16 May 2024 GMT+1

Assisted dying clinic apologises after helping British man die in secret

The Swiss voluntary assisted dying clinic has since apologised to the man's family

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

A Swiss voluntary assisted dying (VAD) association has apologised to the family of a British man who took his own life without them knowing.

Chemistry teacher Alastair Hamilton, 47, travelled to Basel, Switzerland last August to undergo the procedure at Pegasos, despite telling his mother that he was flying to Paris.

Advert

Alastair Hamilton, 47, visited a Swiss voluntary assisted dying (VAD) association last year. (ITV News)
Alastair Hamilton, 47, visited a Swiss voluntary assisted dying (VAD) association last year. (ITV News)

His mum Judith Hamilton, 82, who waved goodbye to Alastair at the airport, told ITV News: "He put his arms around me, looked me straight in the eyes and he was smiling.

"And he said 'love you, mum, love you lots, always have, always will no matter what'."

After failing to return to the UK, his mum reported him as missing until bank records revealed that her son had paid £11,000 to Pegasos for 'voluntary assisted death' treatment.

The clinic accepted his online application form, which was seen by ITV News, where Alastair wrote about having an undiagnosed stomach condition, which he said caused him 'pain, fatigue and discomfort' and had 'devastated his life'.

Advert

He also said that 'there is no current, definitive medical explanation' for his health condition and that his family weren't aware that he had decided to take his own life.

Mum Judith Hamilton waved him off at the airport. (ITV News)
Mum Judith Hamilton waved him off at the airport. (ITV News)

Following the approval of his application, it is believed that Alastair died in an office block next to an asphalt factory in Basel.

His brother Bradley, along with Judith, were taken to see the building by ITV News, with Judith saying: "It’s not the best place to be for your last view of earth."

"It’s even more heart-breaking that someone could have been with him, but they didn't tell us and he didn't feel that [he could]," Bradley added.

Advert

His mother cried: "I keep saying to myself 'oh Alastair'."

With help from police and the British embassy, the clinic confirmed Alastair's death and returned his ashes to his family in the post.

Pegasos apologised for not letting the family know in person and said in a statement to ITV: "As conveyed by Mr. Habegger during the meeting, we would like to tell the family once again that we are very sorry that our communication caused them further distress last year.

"We were not sure how to deal with the situation in terms of communication and legally and therefore did not act as we would today. We hope that our meeting helped them to understand better the decision and path of Alastair.

Judith was unaware of her son's whereabouts. (ITV News)
Judith was unaware of her son's whereabouts. (ITV News)

Advert

"Pegasos has always respected the applicable Swiss law without exception and continues to do so... we always require reports from medical specialists. Only based on these reports, other documents and direct contact with the concerned person, a decision can be taken.

"We are conscious of our great responsibility. This is why, in those rare instances where we have reason to assume that no information has been provided to close family by the person seeking voluntary assisted death, we will abort the procedure on the spot.

"In 2022, the Swiss Medical Association revised its guidelines regarding assisted dying. It is important to understand that these guidelines are not legally binding for the associations but are policies for the medical professionals.

"Several organisations for assisted dying, including Exit, Dignitas and Pegasos, publicly spoke out against the revised guidelines, because they are putting at risk the self-determination of people planning a voluntary assisted death and the freedom of choice in Switzerland."

According to the Swiss Criminal Code 1942, assisted suicide is permitted so long as the motive for doing so is not 'selfish'.

Advert

LADbible has contacted Pegasos for additional comment.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.

Featured Image Credit: ITV News

Topics: Health, UK News

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • British man who has spent 38 years in prison for murder has conviction overturned following new evidence
  • Amount of compensation British man who spent 38 years in prison for murder could receive as conviction is overturned
  • British dad-of-three killed on stag do in Prague after being hit with glass bottle in a ‘blind attack’
  • First British couple sign up to use controversial 'suicide pod' and die in each other's arms

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Collector buys 100-year-old Coca Cola bottle for £55 then discovers its staggering true worth

    What a bargain that is

    News
  • an hour ago

    Diddy trial psychologist explains why it can take multiple attempts for victims to leave abusive relationships

    Clinical psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes told the court that victims often have an 'intense psychological bond' with their abuser

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover begins new search for life in Red Planet's 'crocodile' region

    Could the Mars rover unearth something more than dusty old rocks?

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Donald Trump lashes out at 'idiot' reporter who pressed him about $400 million gift from Qatar

    The president certainly wasn't happy with the question

    News