Tyneside police seize film of Douglas Sinclair suicide
Sep 3 2010 The Journal
A DISABLED pensioner’s final moments were captured on DVD as he drank a lethal cocktail of drugs to end his own life, it emerged last night.
Douglas Sinclair’s daughter yesterday defended her father’s decision to take his own life at the Dignitas clinic in Zurich on July 28 following a debilitating illness.
And, as more details emerge of Mr Sinclair’s final months, it has been revealed that doctors recorded the retired engineer’s last moments on a DVD that has now been seized by Tyneside police.
It is also understood that South Tyneside Council held a “multi-agency“ meeting after Mr Sinclair, 76, repeatedly told staff at Stapleton House Nursing Home in Jarrow that he intended to go to Switzerland to end his life.
The team was made up of legal, medical and social services professionals.
Two friends of Mr Sinclair have been bailed after being arrested on suspicion of assisting his suicide.
One is his former neighbour and close friend Janet Grieves.
The 47-year-old lived next door to the father-of-one on Highfield Drive, South Shields, for a number of years and started caring for him following the death of his wife Monica, who died from leukaemia more than 10 years ago. Yesterday, when The Journal approached Ms Grieves at her new home in Westhope Close, also South Shields, she refused to comment.
The identity of the 48-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the case, and who is believed to have travelled to Switzerland with Mr Sinclair, is still unknown.
Last night, Mr Sinclair’s daughter, Helen Sinclair, who now lives in Cleveland Avenue, Darlington, County Durham, said she was devastated by her father’s choice, but supported and respected his decision.
The 41-year-old said: “My father was a popular and caring man. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.
“He was devastated by the loss of his wife, my mother, and since his illness decided to end his life with dignity in the manner of his choosing.
“Although this was disturbing and upsetting for me, I respect his decision and hope others respect my wishes to grieve in private.”
Mr Sinclair suffered for more than two years from a rare disorder known as multiple system atrophy, which caused his body to slowly shut down.
Last night, his solicitor Christopher Potts, of South Shields-based Patterson, Glenton & Stracey, said of the DVD: “Mr Sinclair seemed very peaceful.
