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A mental health charity has criticised police and the CPS for prosecuting a man who tried to kill himself on the M6 in Birmingham.

The man went onto the motorway at Great Barr with the intention of walking in front of traffic and committing suicide.

But motorists spotted him, rang the police who stopped the traffic and led him to safety.

However, even after hearing the background to his circumstances, they then charged him with trespassing on a motorway and took the case to court.

Magistrates showed him sympathy when they heard he was severely depressed and gave him a lenient sentence.

Now mental health charity Mind said suicidal people shouldn't be criminalised but should be shown compassion instead.

Both the Crown Prosecution Service and West Midlands Police have stood by their decision to prosecute him.

The incident happened on May 31 this year on the M6 northbound between Junctions 6 and 7.

Birmingham magistrates were told the 44-year-old man, who BirminghamLive is choosing not to name, had been charged with walking on a special road where pedestrians are excluded.

Officers attended, stopped the traffic and led him to safety.

But he was arrested and it was then discovered he had been convicted of a similar offence in June 2018 of obstructing a railway line, for which he was given a community order.

Dan Wayne, the man's solicitor, said he suffered from depression and had gone onto the motorway with the intention of killing himself.

"When he went onto the railways last year he had also intended to end his own life," he said.

But he is getting treatment and attending all his probation appointments, Mr Wayne said.

Magistrates said after hearing about his mental health issues, they would only give him a six month conditional discharge and pay £20 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the case, mental health charity Mind said prosecuting a suicidal person made matters worse.

The charity's specialist policy advisor, Alison Cobb, said: “Police officers are often first on the scene when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and have to deal with challenging situations quickly and calmly.

"If someone finds themselves struggling with suicidal thoughts or attempting to take their own lives, they need to be dealt with sensitively, compassionately and with dignity and respect, rather than being criminalised and prosecuted, which only makes matters worse."

West Midlands Police defended its decision to prosecute.

"The man was arrested on suspicion of traffic offences after being a pedestrian on the motorway," a spokeswoman said.

"He was assessed by medical professionals in custody and was deemed fit to be charged.

"The decision to charge was based on the evidence, and was in the public interest due to the potential danger to members of the public and large disruption motorway closures cause."

The Crown Prosecution Service also defended its actions.

A CPS spokesman said there had been enough evidence to charge the man and achieve a "realistic prospect of conviction".

Its lawyers also assess the public interest of taking a case to court.

"The defendant was assessed by medical professionals twice whilst in police custody, and that he had legal representation, so we were satisfied that it was in the public interest to proceed with the charge the police had authorised.”

*If you are experiencing mental health problems, feeling suicidal, or are concerned about someone else, support is available. Speak with your GP, who can refer into appropriate local services, contact the Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline on 0808 800 2234 for out-of-hours support, or call the Samaritans on 116 123 for a listening ear 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.