Daughter campaigns to legalise assisted dying after mum put on trial for murder

A daughter is campaigning to make assisted dying legal in the UK after her mother was put on trial for murder.

Joy Munns, from Burton Upon Trent, today told MPs about what happened to her mother Mavis to persuade Parliament to change the law. 

Her father, Denis Eccleston, had been in agony for a long time with terminal bowel cancer and had asked his wife Mavis to help him to die.

She agreed, saying she would take her own life too - so they could die together.

They took an overdose. Denis passed away soon after. Mavis survived.

Mavis, from Cannock, was then put on trial because assisted dying is still illegal in the UK.

But she was acquitted and is now living with happily with Joy. 

Speaking to ITV News earlier this year, Mavis said: "I’d do the same again," before adding: "I’d do anything to help my husband through the pain."

The family now want the law in the UK changed so other people don't have to go through what they did.

Joy has been speaking to ITV Central's Mark Gough:

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Read more:

• Grandmother Mavis Eccleston cleared of murder of terminally ill husband

• 'Mercy killing' grandmother Mavis Eccleston cleared of murder says 'I'd do the same again'

• Calls for change to assisted dying law to protect families who help loved ones take their own life

• 86-year-old right-to-die campaigner starves herself to death