An Auckland man has admitted he helped his chronically ill wife to die.
Evans Mott, 61, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the death of his wife, Rosemary, who suffered from multiple sclerosis and committed suicide at their Auckland home.
Mott, who faces up to 14 years in prison, entered the plea when he appeared at Auckland District Court this morning.
His lawyer, Ron Mansfield, indicated Mott would seek a discharge without conviction and would put forward "considerable evidence" at the sentencing hearing, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Mott will be sentenced in the High Court but a date is yet to be set.
"This shouldn't be a story of an alleged crime, rather one of genuine love and grief," Mr Mansfield earlier told the newspaper.
"It is truly unfortunate that in our modern society we force people to be isolated in these circumstances and then expose their loving and grieving family to the indignity of being dragged before our criminal courts in this way."
Police allege Mott, an England-born master boatbuilder who helped in the construction of a superyacht for billionaire Graeme Hart, helped his wife research suicide methods and prepare a kit last September.
On December 28 Mrs Mott, who was battling the degenerative disease which attacks the nervous system, asked her husband to leave their Orakei home. He later returned to find her dead.
Mott's guilty plea follows a number of similar cases which has highlighted the issue of euthanasia in New Zealand.
In November last year Sean Davison was sentenced to five months' home detention for "procuring and inciting" his mother's attempted suicide.
In 2004 Lesley Martin was sentenced to 15 months' jail after being found guilty of the attempted murder of her mother.
Ms Martin later started Exit New Zealand, which campaigns for law change to allow people the right to die.
