Three week trial of woman accused of helping friend commit suicide gets underway in Wellington

A drug commonly used for the euthanasia of animals in New Zealand was given to a woman knowing she would commit suicide, the Crown alleges.

Susan Austen is on trial in the High Court in Wellington. She pleaded not guilty to three charges - one of assisting suicide and two of importing a class C drug.

In June 2016 Anne Marie Treadwell was found dead in her room at Rita Angus retirement village in Wellington by her daughter.

The cause of death was found to be Pentobarbitone poisoning.

Her daughter, who didn't want to be filmed, became emotional while giving evidence telling the court her mother wanted to choose when and how she died.

"She wanted to choose when and how she wanted to die… to leave this world," she told the court while giving evidence this afternoon.

Mrs Treadwell was not terminally ill, but suffered from chronic pain, arthritis and depression.

Diary entries made by Mrs Treadwell will be used as evidence.

"Mrs Treadwell confided in the defendant about her plans that she decided the time was right," Crown lawyer Kate Feltham told the court.

The trial comes as the Independent Police Conduct Authority has completed its investigation into a breath-testing check point set up in Lower Hutt in October 2016, to identify people who attended a pro-euthanasia meeting. The findings will be released after the trial.

It also comes with the End of Life Choice Bill due before select committee. Public submissions are open until the 20th of February.

The trial is set down for three weeks. Thirty-one witnesses are due to give evidence.