The case of a man who campaigned for doctors to be allowed to kill him will not go to the Court of Appeal, High Court Judges have ruled.
Lord Justice Toulson said the case was “plainly a matter for Parliament”.
Tony Nicklinson, who suffered from a condition known as ‘locked-in syndrome’, wanted doctors to be able to end his life.
Appeal
The case was rejected by the High Court in August. However, Mr Nicklinson’s wife vowed to carry on the case after her husband died soon after the verdict was given.
Now judges at the High Court have turned down an application by Jane Nicklinson to be made party to the proceedings.
Lord Justice Toulson said: “We do not consider that the proposed appeal has any real prospect of success.
Murder
“It is, of course, an important question whether the law of murder should be changed in the way that Tony fought for, but it does not follow that permission to appeal should therefore be granted. We consider it to be plainly a matter for Parliament.”
Mrs Nicklinson has vowed to appeal the decision.
However a second locked-in sufferer, whose case was heard alongside that of Mr Nicklinson, has been given leave to appeal.
Suicide
The man, known only as Martin, suffered a major stroke in 2008. He wants to be allowed a “dignified suicide”.
The judges gave his appeal the go-ahead as it raised “questions of sufficient significance to merit consideration by the Court of Appeal”.
