Canadian is investigated after admitting supplying lethal poison to 'hundreds' of suicidal Brits

A Canadian chef supplied a lethal poison that suicidal British youngsters used to take their own lives, it was claimed last night. 

Kenneth Law has been sending the substance to vulnerable customers around the world from a post office near Toronto for at least two years, the Times reported.

Four deaths in the UK are linked to the poison that he sold online, including that of Tom Parfett, from Maidenhead in Berkshire, who took his own life aged 22 after buying the substance from Law’s company.

Mr Parfett’s father, David, said that Law had ‘effectively handed a loaded gun to my son’.

He told the Times: ‘I believe my son would still be alive if it wasn’t for this man and this substance.’

Tom Parfett, from Maidenhead in Berkshire, took his own life aged 22 after buying the substance from Kenneth Law's company

Tom Parfett, from Maidenhead in Berkshire, took his own life aged 22 after buying the substance from Kenneth Law’s company

Neha Raju, who died in the past 18 months after buying products from Law's company

Neha Raju, who died in the past 18 months after buying products from Law’s company

Law allegedly gave instructions about the poison to an undercover reporter posing as a suicidal customer, and boasted that some buyers had told him he was doing ‘God’s work’.

He claimed to have sent the poison to hundreds of buyers in Britain and pledged to continue to do so until he had exhausted his inventory – despite pleas from UK police forces and coroners.

The substance has caused at least 70 deaths in Britain but is legal to sell and serves purposes other than as a poison.

It is ‘reportable’ rather than regulated under the Poisons Act in the UK, meaning retailers must alert the authorities if it is suspected to have been bought to cause harm.

These rules do not apply outside of Britain but it is illegal to assist suicide in the UK and Canada and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison in both countries.

Another of Law's customers was 17-year-old Anthony Jones, an American who ran to his mother shouting 'I want to live' after ingesting the substance, which eventually killed him

Another of Law’s customers was 17-year-old Anthony Jones, an American who ran to his mother shouting ‘I want to live’ after ingesting the substance, which eventually killed him

Michael Dunham also died after buying products from the Canadian chef's company

Michael Dunham also died after buying products from the Canadian chef’s company

Another of Law’s customers was 17-year-old Anthony Jones, an American who ran to his mother shouting ‘I want to live’ after ingesting the substance, which eventually killed him.

In Britain, Mr Parfett, Michael Dunham, 38, Neha Raju, 23, and a 21-year-old student have all died in the past 18 months after buying products from Law’s company.

Mr Parfett’s father said Law was playing God by supplying vulnerable people with the means to kill themselves.

‘He is knowingly supplying a substance for people to take their own life and gaining some kind of perverse pleasure from the knowledge that they are doing it,’ he added.

Law told the undercover reporter that ‘many, many, many, many’ people had died after ingesting the poison.

He said he went into the business of selling the poison after seeing his mother suffer following a stroke.

Kenneth Law has been sending the substance to vulnerable customers around the world from a post office near Toronto for at least two years, the Times reported (file image)

The former aerospace engineer, who was most recently employed as a cook in a Toronto hotel, told the undercover reporter: ‘We’re not advanced enough as a civilisation to accept death openly. I hope I’m just being a little bit more enlightened.’

He urged the reporter to buy the poison, adding: ‘Should the day come for whatever reason – that could be a war in Europe or whatever it might be – at least you would have something readily available.’

When later confronted about his actions, Law said: ‘They are committing suicide themselves. I’m not doing anything. I’m just selling a product. I’m not assisting. It’s your choice. I’m not forcing you to buy anything. Perhaps you may want to stop people buying knives and guns.’

Law’s websites have now been taken down by its domain owners, and a spokesman from Ontario police said it had begun an investigation into him.

source: dailymail.co.uk