Canadian man admits sending ‘suicide packets’ to hundreds of people around world

Investigators say Law sent 1,209 packages to buyers in 41 countries before his websites were shut down. Photograph: Peel regional police/PA View image in fullscreen Investigators say Law sent 1,209 packages to buyers in 41 countries before his websites were shut down. Photograph: Peel regional police/PA Canadian man admits sending ‘suicide packets’ to hundreds of people around world Kenneth Law, who sold lethal chemicals online with instructions on how to use them, admits counselling or aiding suicide ‘It was too easy’: families ask how Kenneth Law enabled so many suicides A Canadian man who mailed “suicide packets” of poison to more than 100 people in dozens of countries – including Canada , the UK, the US, Italy, Australia and New Zealand – has pleaded guilty to 14 counts of assisting suicide. Kenneth Law appeared in a packed courtroom in Newmarket, Ontario, on Friday to enter the plea after prosecutors agreed to withdraw 14 murder charges. Sentencing is expected to take place in September. Law, 60, pleaded guilty to multiples charges of “counselling or aiding suicide”. He told Justice Michelle Fuerst he understood the scope of his crimes and was voluntarily entering a plea. Family members were emotional as the court read out each of the charges and Law confirmed his role in the deaths of 14 people, aged 16 to 36, across the province of Ontario. He also admitted sending the lethal substances that caused the death of 79 people in the UK. The closely watched case has highlighted the challenges of policing online forums that promote suicide and sell fatal substances. Bereaved families in the UK, where Law is linked to scores of deaths, have renewed their call for a public inquiry . The court was told that Law sent suicide kits to people in 40 countries and territories, but most were sent to people in the UK and the US. View image in fullscreen Police officers outside the court on Friday before Law’s appearance. Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Reuters Law, a one-time engineer and cook at a Toronto hotel, ran a series of websites that sold lethal chemicals to at-risk people around the world. To evade detection, Law offered other products – including hot sauce – to give the illusion that he operated as an industrial food-prep wholesaler. The distinct silver packets warned that the use of the product was the sole responsibility of the user. He also sold suicide paraphernalia and gave detailed instructions about how to use the items. Investigators say Law sent 1,209 packages to people in 41 countries before his websites were shut down. Law had previously denied reports that he was willingly selling products to help people kill themselves. Prosecutors submitted a statement of facts that exceeded 60 pages and was expected to take hours to read in court. In many of the deaths, the victims were found by parents. In a particularly harrowing case, a young man was heard vomiting by his family and pleaded for help from his parents after telling them he had consumed