Professor kills herself just days after cops raid her home for illegal suicide drugs
Retired English professor Dr Avril Henry killed herself after tricking cops into thinking they had her whole supply
A RETIRED professor killed herself days after cops raided her home looking for a suicide drug, an inquest heard.
Dr Avril Henry, 82, conned cops into believing they had confiscated all her killer medicine and was able to take her own life days later.
She died after take the drug - not available in the UK which she ordered off the internet.
Dr Henry was professor of English Medieval Culture at the University of Exeter until 2000 and also a member of Exit International, which advocates the legalisation of assisted dying.
The group is run by campaigner 'Dr Death' Philip Nitschke, who was once banned from medicine and known for selling home suicide kits.
He said: "She described her life as becoming a complete misery. It got to the point she did not have a life she wanted to live.
"She was a lady who knew her own mind, a bright, intelligent retired professor.
"She suffered a number of painful and debilitating conditions which there were no cure for, and these had been treated for symptom relief only.
The coroner heard that although Avril was not terminally ill she had a number of different health problems and had wanted to end her own life for 18 months.
It was revealed that Dr Henry, who lived alone just outside Exeter, Devon, suffered from a number of painful conditions - including joint arthritis, spinal spondylosis and degenerative disease, and asthma and made "no secret of her intention" to end her life.
She had wanted to go to Switzerland to go through with her assisted suicide but couldn't due to mobility issues.
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She then ordered the drug from Mexico on the internet and police were alerted to the purchase by Interpol.
They raided her home on April 14 - but did not recover all of the drugs.
The inquest heard that Dr Henry was angry about this and still successfully took her life, dying on April 20.
Coroner John Tomalin said: "The police - acting on information received concerning the purchase of medication abroad by Dr Henry, that are not available in this country - being concerned for her welfare, forced entry into her home, an action that Dr Henry took exception to."
The inquest heard evidence from Dr Henry's cleaner of 14 years, Emma Healey, that she had "planned her suicide" for months.
In a statement she said: "I became aware 14 months ago that Avril wanted to end her life.
"She was a very articulate person who planned her suicide in great detail.
";She had become housebound and was in a lot of pain."
Avril, who was a professor of English Medieval Culture at the University of Exeter until 2000, was a member of Exit International, which advocates the legalisation of euthanasia.
Her GP, Dr Stephen Vercoe, was aware Dr Henry wanted to kill herself but could do little to help as she was not clinically depressed and could not be sectioned.
Dr Henry was found in the bath on April 20.
Coroner John Tomalin recorded a verdict of suicide.
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