Rugby Star takes own life at suicide clinic after being paralysed in training accident

Dan James, a former England international schoolboy, was injured when a scrum collapsed on him during a training session.

Dan James, a promising young rugby player who travelled to a suicide clinic in Switzerland after being paralysed from the chest down during a training accident.

Dan James was tipped for a career in professional rugby.

The collapse dislocated his spine and left him and despite several operations to fuse two vertebrae in his neck, he was left unable to move his body other than his fingers.

Mr James, 23, who was tipped for a career in professional rugby, flew to Switzerland last month to a clinic where he ended his life.

His parents, Mark, a former professional rugby player, and Julie, went with him and are now under investigation by West Mercia Police.

Det Insp Adrian Todd said: "A police investigation is ongoing and officers have spoken with a man and a woman in connection with the case.

"A report will later be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and an inquest into the death will take place in due course."

Mr James, a student at Loughborough University, had high hopes of emulating his father who was Worcester's first team hooker for many years.

He had represented club and country, and played for England Universities against France only four days before the accident, which happened as he trained with Nuneaton RFC.

A medical cause of death has not been confirmed, but the circumstances of his death were recorded by the coroner as: "Deceased travelled to Switzerland with a view to ending his own life. He was admitted to a clinic where he died."

His parents refused to comment at their farmhouse in Sinton Green, near Worcester.
Previously Mrs James has said how the accident and his paralysis were "so sudden". She said: "We had no build-up to it, it just happened.

"We got a phone call saying Dan had a bit of a knock at rugby. That was it."
Mr James attended Worcester's Royal Grammar School before studying construction engineering management at Loughborough University.

He had played for the minis and juniors section of Worcester Rugby Club, Kidderminster Carolians, Stourbridge, Midlands and England Under 16s.
At the time of his death, a trust set up in his name had raised nearly £25,000 for spinal research.

In the last six years, 100 British people have travelled abroad to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland and had an assisted death but so far nobody has ever been prosecuted for accompanying a loved one to die.

The law in Britain makes it an offence to facilitate suicide, a charge which carries a maximum of 14 years in prison.

There have been several high profile cases where people have sought for clarification in the law.

Last month multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy launched a bid to ensure husband was not prosecuted for helping her travel abroad to end her life and campaigners are currently awaiting the latest High Court decision, which they hope will clarify the meaning of "assisting suicide