Readers of this website will know that Sean Davison was arrested in England one year ago on suspicion of helping someone to commit suicide by accompanying them on their visit to Switzerland. He was questioned for several hours and then released on bail. His computer and laptop were confiscated. What has happened since then ?
The bail was renewed several times but he has never been charged. Last month he was told that his bail would not be renewed – and he was therefore “free” – but that the police were continuing with their enquires and that the case was still under active investigation. When he asked what was taking so long, he was told that this was due to “the international complexity of the case”. Meanwhile the police are retaining his pc and laptop.
We have learned that a second search of his house was carried out several months after he was released on bail. Also, last month he was stopped and questioned by police as he was boarding a flight at London Heathrow for Switzerland. He is obviously still under police scrutiny.
Clearly there are two questions for the police to consider. First, do they believe that they have a strong case for him to answer ? Second, whatever the strength of the case, will it fall under the “unlikely to be prosecuted” section of the guidance from the Department of Public Prosecution. These are not hard questions. With or without the “international complexity”, this does seem to be taking a remarkable length of time.
