Sentencing begins for Canadian who sold package to Portsmouth uni student to end his life
Poison seller Kenneth Law pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding suicide.
A Canadian who sold a fatal poison to a University of Portsmouth student - and hundreds of others - is now being sentenced.
Kenneth Law, 60 of Mississauga, Ontario, pleaded guilty earlier this year to 14 counts of aiding suicide. These charges pertained to victims in Canada, but there were dozens of other people who died after purchasing from his online website.
According to the National Crime Agency, Law sold 330 packages to the UK, claiming the lives of 79 people. Among them was University of Portsmouth student Joshua Warner, who took his own life in January 2023.
An inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court in August found that Mr Warner took his own life by ingesting a substance purchased from Law. The News is not naming the substance, in accordance with Samaritans guidelines and the instruction of coroner Nicholas Walker.
The uni student had told multiple mental health professionals, including his GP and a private therapist.
At Newmarket Court in Ontario today (Wednesday, September 23), Law’s sentencing has begun. But the Canadian won’t be told the outcome of his sentence just yet - with 74 victim impact statements being read out in court, it will take six days for the poison seller to learn his fate.
Inside the courtroom, Law sat stony-faced as victim impact statements began to be read out by grieving family members. At the time of publication, he has not made eye contact with any of the families, nor shown any emotion while sat in the dock.
Stephen Mitchell Sr, from Toronto, was among those to address the defendant today. His son, Stephen Mitchell Jr, died age 21 in March 2023, having purchased a package online from Law - just as Mr Warner had done a few months prior.
Mr Mitchell said: “One of the prevailing traits of youth is that they struggle to see past their present circumstances - their minds have no fully developed. That’s especially true of depressed youths like my son.
“I am willing to accept that during the time he’s already spent in incarceration, Law might had had feelingsor moments of despair, or helplessness. I’m sure he must have had those thoughts at some point.
“Ironically, those are the same thoughts my son had before he took the chemical Law sold him to end his life. His thoughts are gone, but you are still here.”
Latha Mitchell, Stephen Jr’s stepmother, sobbed as she read her statement, with many other affected families also weeping in the public gallery.
According to an agreed statement of facts from the case, Law sent 1,209 packages to 41 countries. These included the UK, USA and Canada, but also went as far as Italy and New Zealand.
If you've been affected and bereaved by suicide, Cruse is a dedicated service providing free and confidential support across Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Call 0330 555 0129, or visit supportaftersuicideship.org.uk
If you need urgent help with your mental health, there is free support available 24/7 from:
Samaritans - call 116 123
Shout - text HANTS to 85258
NHS - call 111 and select the mental health option, or in an emergency, call 999