Wellwishers cheered today as a woman walked free from court after pleading guilty to helping her mother to die.

Gillian Jennison admitted giving sleeping tablets to her mother Annie Wilks who was suffering from confusion and desperately wanted to die.

But Jennison, 52, of Alma Terrace, East Morton, Bingley, was sentenced to 12 months' probation after the judge said there was no hint of any "ulterior motive".

The sentence was immediately welcomed by the Voluntary Euthanasia Society whose spokesman called for a wider debate on the issue of euthanasia.

Jennison, who left the court to cheers from family and supporters, was whisked away from court at the end of an ordeal which began last July.

She had initially been charged with murder but that charge was withdrawn. Instead, she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aiding and abetting suicide or procuring the suicide of her mother.

James Goss, prosecuting, said Jennison was a "loving and devoted" daughter who had only carried out her mother's wishes. He said 83-year-old Annie Wilks, of Marsh Cote Lane, Cottingley, enjoyed a loving relationship with her daughter but suffered confusion and did not want to live.

He said that between July 18 and 19 last year the two drank sherry and Annie asked for her tablets which Jennison gave her. She took around 23 tablets, two or three at a time. Mr Goss said the exact cause of death was not clear. She could have died of sleeping tablet poisoning or that she was close to death when a pillow was applied to her face.

Mr Goss said Jennison placed a pillow over her sleeping mother and ascertained that she was dead a couple of minutes later. "She put the pillow over her when she was still breathing but unconscious," he said.

"Her mother desperately wanted to die. It was the way her mother asked her that made her honestly feel that not to go along with her wishes would have been very cruel. She didn't consider the consequences. She just wanted to help her mother."

Defending Michael Harrison QC said: "Jennison had the courage to be absolutely and candid about what she had done. From the very start she had in her own mind assisted her mother's suicide. She was always willing to plead guilty to that."

Mrs Justice Smith said: "I accept that what you did was what your mother wanted and there was never any hint of an ulterior motive. I think that in yours and the public interest there should be a probation order of 12 months. I have taken into account the strain and stress of the last few months while you have been facing a charge of murder. You are not in the best of health at the present time and because of recent events you are unable to work."

After the sentence Mrs Jennison a trade union studies lecturer at Bradford University was whisked away from court at a side entrance to the delight of her tearful well-wishers and family who hugged one another joyfully.

Libby Dicken, of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, said: "I think that she was dealt with in a sympathetic way. I think we really need to explore the question of euthanasia in a general debate."

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