Families Confront Canadian Man Accused of Selling Poison Online

Dozens of British families have confronted Kenneth Law, a Canadian chef who pleaded guilty to selling poison online, in an Ontario court. Law admitted to sending 1,200 lethal packages to over 40 countries, including 330 to Britain, with 79 people in the UK confirmed to have died after ingesting the chemicals.

The 60-year-old pleaded guilty in May to 14 counts of aiding suicide in Canada. His sentencing hearing in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice included statements from parents and relatives of victims who detailed the devastating impact of their loss.

Among the victims was 14-year-old Henry Tucker. His parents, Kate and Graham Tucker, told the court that the loss of their son, who purchased a lethal substance online, would "define our existence until our final days." Henry had been struggling with mental health and died in October 2021. His parents later discovered he had a neurological condition that could have been treated. "The realization that his suffering and his death could have been prevented is a weight that is impossible to bear," they stated.

David Parfett, whose 22-year-old son Tom died in October 2021 after ordering poison from Law, expressed anger that Law would not face justice in a UK court. "As far as I'm concerned Law is worse than Harold Shipman," Parfett said. "It's likely he's caused more deaths than anyone else in history. The fact that we won't see him standing to face charges here beggars belief."

Parfett and other affected families have called for a public inquiry into online suicide sites, arguing that current UK legislation is inadequate for prosecuting digital crimes. "Sites like the ones Law used to sell his poison are still up and running - people are still coming to harm and dying," Parfett added.

Prosecutors believe Law could have challenged extradition due to "double jeopardy" laws, and that the agreement for his British deaths to be considered in his Canadian sentence was the "quickest and most effective route" for justice.

Norson Harris, father of 26-year-old Ashleigh Harris, also shared his grief. Ashleigh, a computer programmer from Nottingham, died in February 2023 after ingesting poison purchased from Law. "The impact of Ashleigh's death has been profound. There was a before, and then there was an after where we have gained membership to a club that nobody wants to be part of," Harris said.

Ilse Belien, 26, who survived an attempt to take her own life in January 2023 after ingesting a substance sent by Law, also spoke at the hearing. "Kenneth Law's actions made it a lot easier for me to act on (my) despair," she stated. Despite surviving and making a physical recovery, the experience has taken a mental toll, leading to an eating disorder and difficulty building trust with her family.

Evidence presented in court indicated that Law operated under the alias "Dr. Greenberg" on an online suicide forum, endorsing his products and directing users to his poison website. Law originally faced first-degree murder charges, but prosecutors conceded the charges were not viable under Canadian law.

The maximum sentence for aiding suicide in Canada is 14 years. Law is expected to be sentenced next month.

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