Is it illegal NOT to save someone from dying?

pmbuzz · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:21

If you ignored someone just about to throw themself from a high bridge ?
If you saw someone drowning and just walked on by ?
If you encountered people in a burning building and just carried on your way?

Say you started to save someone by giving mouth to mouth or cardiac compressions but gave up, could you be arrested ?

Tefal · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:25

in none of those situations could i see it being criminal because you'd have to put yourself and others at risk and would mostly just cause more problems than you solve.

Also please don't try and do CPR if you're not trained.

I think though like the woman wo stood there after her sister stabbed a guy and instead of phoning the police called hsi family and taunted them saying she wouldn't call an ambulance got sentenced when he died but under a different charge.

2StepSteve · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:25

No I would say.

All of the above are out of your control and more to the point you aren't the cause of the situation they are in.

Berserker · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:25

Er no. Well, not unless you were negligent (i.e. your action or inaction caused the death). You might put yourself in danger, or do more harm than you otherwise might have sought to prevent, etc.

PardonTheWait · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:28

So what if someone's heart pills were 6 inches out of reach and you refused to pass them to them and they died?

JBuk · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:28

pmbuzz said:
If you ignored someone just about to throw themself from a high bridge ?
If you saw someone drowning and just walked on by ?
If you encountered people in a burning building and just carried on your way?

Say you started to save someone by giving mouth to mouth or cardiac compressions but gave up, could you be arrested ?

afaik there's no specific law that states you must inform the emergency services if you think somebody needs help

and it's ok to give up trying to resuscitate someone, you can't be expected to go at it infinately lol

Sinny · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:31

pmbuzz said:
If you ignored someone just about to throw themself from a high bridge ?
If you saw someone drowning and just walked on by ?
If you encountered people in a burning building and just carried on your way?

Say you started to save someone by giving mouth to mouth or cardiac compressions but gave up, could you be arrested ?

I bet you could probably get sued though. or am I getting confused and thinking of America :rolleyes:

V4NT0M · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:31

Leave a lot of people to die do we?

timmyt · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:32

I doubt its illegal just in bad taste.

muon · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:32

PardonTheWait said:
So what if someone's heart pills were 6 inches out of reach and you refused to pass them to them and they died?

I think it is clear what your intentions are if you do that and are aware your inaction would kill them. I would hope there is a provision somewhere to charge such a person.

pmbuzz · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:32

So, is NOT ringing the services an inaction that could cause death ?

Berserker · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:33

Moses99p said:
In France you have to help people by the roadside. Something like that, anyway.

You can be prosecuted for leaving the scene of a road accident (before the emergency services arrive) in the UK, but I'm not sure there's anything about helping people.

Tefal · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:33

pmbuzz said:
So, is NOT ringing the services an inaction that could cause death ?

dunno, but actively stopping others from calling them seems to be.

muon · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:34

pmbuzz said:
So, is NOT ringing the services an inaction that could cause death ?

I would say yes.

Pate · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:34

PardonTheWait said:
So what if someone's heart pills were 6 inches out of reach and you refused to pass them to them and they died?

Unless there was a duty of care then no it wouldn't be illegal.

Wouldn't want to know you though

mame · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:35

This has crossed my mind before. What if your worst enemy was about to suffer a slow James Bond style death that was nothing to do with you and just sat back and said "ho ho ho, I'm going to enjoy this" an waited the 10 minutes it took to kill him.

Rich_L · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:35

This is your friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omission_(criminal_law)

Sudden · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:36

mame said:
This has crossed my mind before. What if your worst enemy was about to suffer a slow James Bond style death that was nothing to do with you and just sat back and said "ho ho ho, I'm going to enjoy this" an waited the 10 minutes it took to kill him.

It's ok, but only if you have popcorn.

mame · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:39

Sudden said:
It's ok, but only if you have popcorn.

I think your sig. goes with that

Raymond Lin · 29 Sep 2010 at 00:39

None, the Laws in England and Wales does not make it illegal for an omission act. WITH EXCEPTIONS.

i.e.

If you are a Parent or Guardian of the person - hence you are legally required to care and feed your child. (from Children and Young Persons Act 1933)

Job/Duty - Police officer to help someone in a fight/prevent a crime (Crouther’s Case (1599), or if you are a Doctor, and someone is dying in front of you, you should at least try (without putting yourself in danger).

Duty arising from special relationships - R v Gibbins and Proctor (1918) CCA.

Assumption of care for another - R v Smith (1826). R v Shepard (1862)

Official, contractual or public duties - Railway keeper ( R v Pittwood (1902) close the gate, he didn't hence liable)

etc etc etc

There are a few more..