was not physically healthy, resulting in a reduced charge of attempted murder, for which Arthur was acquitted. This demonstrated that a doctor who deliberately withdrew life-prolonging treatment under any circumstances, and where the patient subsequently died, could be charged with murder. There was a subtle exception. If a patient suffered complications but the doctors felt that it would serve no purpose to apply additional treatments, such as antibiotics to fight infection, as might happen in a case of PVS, and the patient subsequently died as a result of the complication, then they were not liable under the criminal law. Theoretically, however, they could still find themselves being sued for negligence by the family of the deceased. In August 1989, four months after Bland was injured, Howe contacted Popper, the Sheffield coroner, who was both legally and medically qualified. He informed Popper of the plan to withdraw all treatment including food and water. This decision had been taken following full consultation with the family and in accordance with their wishes. Howe later said: The Coroner advised Howe to contact his medical defence society and the Regional Health Authority and copied his letter to the Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police (the investigating force), the local regional Health Authority solicitor and Howe's medical defence society. The following day Howe was visited by the police and told that he would be charged with murder if he withdrew treatment and Bland died. Following the obtaining of the legal advice, which concurred with that of the coroner, the Airedale National Health Service Trust, with the support of Bland's family and Howe, made an application to court to withdraw all life-prolonging treatment. As Bland was unable to speak for himself and was, for legal purposes, deemed an incompetent, the Official Solicitor was assigned as his guardian ad litem. The Official Solicitor opposed the Trust's application because if the Trust were allowed to pursue the actions proposed by Howe, it would amount in law to the crime of murder. Case First instance Airedale NHS Trust applied to the courts for a declaration to the effect that: they might lawfully discontinue all life-sustaining treatment and medical support measures, including ventilation, nutrition and hydration by artificial means any subsequent treatment given should be for the sole purpose of enabling him to end his life in dignity and free from pain and suffering if death should then occur, its