A pro-euthanasia campaigner known as “Dr Death” has been allowed into the UK, despite concern that he is a “suicide predator”.
Australian Dr Philip Nitschke was detained when he arrived at Gatwick Airport, but he was later allowed to enter the country.
Dr Peter Saunders, of the Care Not Killing Alliance, had previously written to the Home Secretary urging her to prevent his entry.
Risk
Dr Nitschke is planning to run a workshop in London on Tuesday where he is expected to advise on sourcing and using drugs to commit suicide.
Writing on his personal blog, Dr Saunders commented: “Nitschke’s activities present a real and present risk to vulnerable members of the British public.
“With the growing elderly population, failure of the care system and worsening economic situation a growing number of frail, disabled, ill and depressed people in Britain will be feeling under even greater pressure to end their lives, either for fear that they will not cope, or so as to be less of a burden to relatives.
Protect
“They deserve better protection from suicide predators like Nitschke than they are currently getting.
“Let’s hope that no vulnerable person is ‘helped’ over the edge by attending his seminar or as a result of the inevitable media hype that will accompany his visit.
“Quite why the Home Secretary allowed him into the UK remains a mystery but Britain deserves an explanation.”
Protect
A spokesman for Exit International, which was founded by Dr Nitschke, said what it was planning to do was not illegal.
In 2011 some British venues cancelled events with the pro-euthanasia campaigner.
One event at a yachting club in Eastbourne was cancelled when they discovered what he was planning to speak on.
Controversial
The club said it wanted to avoid the publicity of “something this controversial”.
The doctor then tried to book the Under Ground Theatre in the seaside town, but they too backed out.
Another venue, in Belfast, also scrapped their event with the controversial campaigner.