Assisted dying: Two arrested over death of campaigner

Sharon Johnston had said nothing would change her mind about wanting an assisted death

Two women have been arrested on suspicion of assisting or encouraging suicide, following the death of a 60-year-old woman from Cardigan.

Dyfed-Powys Police has confirmed the woman who died is Sharon Johnston, a severely disabled woman who was a prominent advocate of assisted dying.

Ms Johnston had been reported missing from her home.

BBC Wales understands she had travelled to Switzerland, with the intention of asking doctors to help end her life.

Police said a 29-year-old woman from the London area and a 69-year-old woman from Cardiff were arrested after returning to Heathrow Airport and have been released pending further investigation.

Speaking to the BBC's Wales Investigates programme last October, Ms Johnston said she intended to travel to Switzerland to end her life.

"I go out in the town and I can get about. It's not that like I'm trapped in bed or bedridden. But I don't want the care," she said.

"Physically I can't do a suicide, I can't take an overdose of medication because it's all done with the carers in a secure medical box. I don't want to do a botched suicide," she said.

Swiss law enables doctors to assist certain patients to die, although the process remains illegal in the UK.

Ms Johnston was told that she would never be able to walk again, following a fall more than three years ago.