Elaine Arch-Rowe: Euthanasia advocate allegedly took life-ending drug to RSL club
A voluntary euthanasia advocate charged with attempted to assist a suicide allegedly brought a life-ending drug intended for use on whales to a Queensland RSL and organised seminars at aged care villages.
A euthanasia advocate organisation tried to sell four bottles of a killer drug at a Queensland RSL club, a court has heard.
Elaine Arch-Rowe, 81,appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with attempt to aid a suicide, trafficking dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs and the sale of potential harmful things.
She is one of three people charged following a police investigation into the death of a 43-year-old Hope Island man.
The court heard police will allege Ms Arch-Rowe acted as a secretary of a business that sold the euthanasia drug to vulnerable people, alongside Main Beach man, Brett Daniel Taylor, 53.
Earlier this month, Ms Arch-Rowe and Mr Taylor were at a seminar at the Maroochydore RSL where they allegedly took four bottles of the drug, intended for sale, the court heard.
Ms Arch-Rowe allegedly held meetings with prospective clients and organised seminars held at community centres and aged care villages.
Ms Arch-Rowe’s lawyer Michael McMillan applied for bail with the condition she not contact any of her co-accused and not have access to the drug pentobarbital.
“She’s kept away from others involved in this little activity, she’s got no access to the others that are supposed to have helped her engage in this type of stuff and have no access to the drugs she's supposed to have used,” he said.
“What’s the risk?”
Mr McMillan said Ms Arch-Rowe has full support of her family and he was confident she would stick to her bail conditions.
“She’s 81, she’s got no reason not to,” he said. “She spent a little bit of time in custody. That would have been horrendous for her.”
He said she definitely would be entering a not guilty plea and he would take the matter to trial.
“There’s not many of these cases that have gone before the courts before. There’s only a handful and this is definitely not a strong one. It’s an attempt, so it’s not even a proper charge.”
Police allege a charity claiming to kill beached whales, Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd, acted as a front for Mr Taylor to obtain drugs he later sold to others so they could end their lives.
It is alleged Mr Taylor was able to source the drug veterinary euthanasia drug pentobarbital lawfully through the registered charity.
Police launched an investigation in July after receiving correspondence from the Coroner’s Officer regarding a man’s cause of death.
Toxicology reports from a post-mortem examination confirmed the 43-year-old Hope Island man died on April 11 from acute pentobarbitone toxicity.
It is alleged that Mr Taylor, who runs a wills and probate business called End of Life Services, also offered a “finding service” where he would find clients who had ended their lives.
During Ms Arch-Rowe’s bail application, the court heard police infiltrated the alleged assisted dying business with a law enforcement participant presenting as a client.
The court heard the participant met with Mr Taylor, exchanged numbers and was later contacted by Ms Arch-Rowe who allegedly arranged the sale of the drug through Mr Taylor.
Mr McMillan said there was no evidence in the court documents that showed the participant telling his client they intended to acquire and consume the drug for the purpose of ending their life.
Magistrate Deborah Mitchell noted Ms Arch-Rowe had no criminal history and had strong ties to the community.
She granted her bail with the condition she report to police every Wednesday, must not possess or attempt to acquire pentobarbital and must not engage or participate in activities related to Exit International or End of Life Services.
Ms Arch-Rowe also must not contact or approach Mr Taylor, his father Ian George Taylor, or his mother Olga Taylor.
Mr Taylor’s father, 80-year-old Ashmore man Ian George Taylor, has been charged with one count each of trafficking dangerous drugs and possessing dangerous drugs.
His mother, Olga, is not charged with any wrongdoing.
Police are now investigating Mr Taylor’s links to 20 other people through his business and charity dating back to 2021.
CHARITY SHUT DOWN BY REGULATOR
A beached whale charity allegedly used as a “front” to sell euthanasia drugs has been shut down by the national charity watchdog.
Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd has had its charity status revoked by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
It comes a day after the charity’s founder Brett Daniel Taylor, 53, was charged with two counts of aiding suicide.
Police are now investigating his alleged links to 20 other cases through his business and charity dating back to 2021.
Gold Coast Criminal Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Mark Mooney said Mr Taylor, 53, was able to source a drug known as pentobarbital lawfully through a registered charity called Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd.
The charity, according to documents lodged with the government regulator, exists to “prevent the prolonged suffering of terminal beached cetaceans by providing quick and ample access to products for the euthanising of cetaceans”.
Whales, dolphins and porpoises are all cetaceans. The charity is run by Mr Taylor, and two other people.
