'I was denied being with her in her last moments'

Families back right for terminally ill people to choose when to die

- Harriet Sherwood

Two months after Beverly Sand was told that her oesophageal cancer was terminal, she took her life, alone, when her husband was away for a couple of days. In a note she left him, she asked for forgiveness and told him: "You are the love of my life."

Even though Peter Wilson could prove he was 120 miles away at the time of her death, he was questioned by police for seven hours, fingerprinted, photographed and swabbed for gunshot residue. No gun had been involved in Sand's death.

"Within an hour and a half of discovering her body, I was in the police station. I was numb. At the time I most needed comfort and support, I was subjected to this really difficult experience," said Wilson.

Wilson was not surprised that his wife had taken her own life, but he was in "complete and utter shock and distress" at the timing and manner of her death.