Former Winchester Mayor Acquitted in High-Profile Euthanasia Case

David McLean was found not guilty of attempting to murder his terminally ill mother, in a case that stirred national debate on assisted dying.

David McLean, ex-mayor of Winchester, was acquitted after a judge ruled his confessions unreliable due to an acute stress reaction.
McLean was accused of smothering his 92-year-old mother with a pillow, claiming he acted out of compassion.
The prosecution's case was dismissed by Mrs Justice McGowan, citing insufficient evidence to support the charges.
The trial coincided with a parliamentary debate on assisted dying, though the judge instructed the jury to disregard this context.
Body-worn camera footage revealed McLean's distress and his statement that he had 'passed his mother into the next world'.