Old-Timer of BBC Admitted to a Criminal Offence

BBC presenter Ray Gosling  gave a  shock to wide public after  his apparent confession  on an English TV programme that he carried out a mercy killing.

The 70-year-old was arrested after he told viewers of BBC East Midlands' Inside Out programme that he smothered his unnamed partner as he lay in hospital suffering from AIDS.

After visiting him in custody at Oxclose Lane police station in Nottingham, his solicitor, Digby Johnson, told reporters: "There's very little to say at this early stage. Ray has been at the police station now for approaching five hours and the investigation is at a very, very early stage.

"There is no saying how long Ray will be here but he is in good spirits and I would ask you to respect these are very difficult times for Ray because, by its very nature, the things we are talking about are as distressing as could be."

Gosling confessed that  he smothered his partner because he was "in terrible, terrible pain".

Since then, he has refused to name the man involved but has insisted his decision to speak out publicly was right.

Following his arrest, a BBC spokesman said: "The BBC has broadcast Ray Gosling's revelation for reasons of journalistic integrity.

"We believe we have handled the report sensitively and appropriately. We kept him fully informed about our representation of his story in the report and he understood that a revelation of this nature could have a number of consequences."

Press Association has contributed to the report.