A British man who assisted his terminally ill wife in traveling to Switzerland to end her life should be allowed to inherit part of her estate, London's High Court has ruled, highlighting the complexities of the law on assisted dying.

Myra Morris, aged 73, passed away in December 2023 after self-administering an overdose of pentobarbital at the Pegasos clinic in Liestal, Switzerland. She had been suffering from multiple system atrophy, a rare and degenerative neurological disorder that left her in constant pain and had no known cure. Her husband, Philip, was initially barred from inheriting Myra's estate under English law due to his involvement in assisting her to take her own life.

Philip Morris sought relief from London's High Court, and a judge recently ruled that the inheritance rule should not apply in his case. Judge William Trower noted in his ruling that Morris had tried to dissuade his wife from ending her life and only helped her out of deep compassion. In a witness statement quoted by the judge, Morris said, "For a woman of such beauty, intelligence, dignity, and grace, being so physically incapacitated and reliant on others made life intolerable for Myra." He added, "I was desperate for Myra to change her mind, but she was resolute in her decision to maintain her dignity to the end, which is why she chose to end her life. She faced a future that she did not want."

The case underscores the legal challenges faced by those with terminal illnesses who wish to control the manner of their death. Both Philip and Myra consulted with a lawyer before traveling to Switzerland, discussing the potential legal repercussions for Philip. In Britain, those who accompany relatives to places like Switzerland for euthanasia can face prosecution for assisting suicide, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

According to the court's ruling, Morris spoke to the police upon his return to Britain and was informed that he had no legal issues to report. This case comes as a bill on assisted dying is set to be presented in Parliament next week.