Sheffield man, 73, jailed for wife's 'mercy killing'

SHEFFIELD MAN, 73, JAILED FOR WIFE'S 'MERCY KILLING'

George Webb, age 73, was convicted of manslaughter after suffocating his wife, Beryl Webb, aged 75, in their ground-floor apartment on Luke Lane, Wadsley, Sheffield, in May.

Following a trial, Webb was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of murder.

During proceedings, it was revealed that Mrs Webb had begged for assistance to end her life due to multiple health problems.

Webb’s legal representatives requested leniency, but Judge Mr Justice McCombe commented, "This was an unlawful killing and Mr Webb’s responsibility for it is diminished, it is not extinguished." The court learned that Mrs Webb was suffering from serious medical conditions, including breast cancer and the loss of her kneecaps, and that she believed her cancer had come back when she died.

On May 14, she attempted to commit suicide by ingesting 34 Lorazepam tablets combined with alcohol.

When Webb suspected her attempt had failed, he smothered her with a plastic bag and a towel.

The judge described the act as a mercy killing, citing a statement from the Court of Appeal that legal approaches to such cases should be reviewed by Parliament.

South Yorkshire Police’s Detective Superintendent James Abdy expressed condolences, acknowledging the case’s difficulty and tragedy.