Story summary
Kenneth Law, a 61-year-old former chef from Mississauga, Ontario, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding suicide in Canada. He admitted to selling about 1,200 packages containing lethal substances to vulnerable individuals across more than 40 countries, including roughly a quarter sent to the UK. Law's victims included minors; for instance, a 16-year-old victim was mentioned during his plea hearing.
In January 2023, Imogen Nunn (Immy) from Britain died after purchasing lethal substances online from Law, and her mother, Louise, expressed anger that Law would not face justice in the UK. The Crown agreed to a deal where Law will only face charges for Canadian victims and admitted no murder charges in Canada or any charges over British deaths.
Families of victims, including those from the UK like Henry Tucker (14) and Maurizio Vadala (36), are providing victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing. They describe their profound grief and frustration with Law’s actions, which they believe robbed their loved ones of a chance to seek help for mental health struggles.
Law's sentencing hearing began in an Ontario courtroom on Wednesday, allowing families from Canada and Britain to share how his actions devastated their lives. The court also heard that Law earned approximately $300,000 selling lethal paraphernalia at prices as low as $80 per kit between 2021 and 2023.
Written for “Kenneth Law Sentencing Hearing” on 2026-10-05,
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Families of young Brits, including a boy of just 14, have confronted a Canadian chef in court after he admitted selling poison online to help them take their own lives.
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them → see → lives
The parents and relatives gave moving statements to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, in Newmarket, Ontario, on Wednesday ahead of a sentencing hearing of Kenneth Law.
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parents → give → Law
The 60-year-old pleaded guilty to sending 1,200 lethal packages to more than 40 countries, including 330 to Britain, in May.
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old → plead → May
He admitted 14 counts of aiding suicide in Canada, but as part of a legal deal accepted that 79 people in the UK died after ingesting chemicals he sold to them online, including 14-year-old Henry Tucker.
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he → admit → Tucker
His parents, Kate and Graham Tucker, said the loss of their son, who bought the lethal substance over the Internet, would 'define our existence until our final days'.
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who → say → days
Henry, of Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, had been struggling with his mental health having been misdiagnosed with autism and anorexia when he died, in October 2021.
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he → struggle → October
Following his death, Mr and Mrs Tucker discovered he had a neurological condition that could have been treated with 'an intense course of antibiotics from an early age'.
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that → follow → age
'The realisation that his suffering and his death could have been prevented is a weight that is impossible to bear,' they told the hearing.
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they → prevent → hearing
Kenneth Law, 60, admitted aiding 14 cases of suicide in Ontario, Canada.
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Law → admit → Ontario
The deaths of 79 Brits will also be taken into account when he is sentenced next month
Families of victims of Kenneth Law embrace as they arrive at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
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they → take → Newmarket
David Parfett's son, Tom, 22, died after ordering poison from Law, in October 2021
Tom Parfett, 22, was studying philosophy at St Andrew's University when he died
'
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he → die → University
The regret that we could not save him despite our best efforts is a constant, haunting companion.'
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we → save → efforts
An inquest heard that the teenager had struggled for support while the NHS was stretched by the Covid pandemic.
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NHS → hear → pandemic
On the day of his death, Henry scheduled a suicide note to be emailed to his mother at 9pm.
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note → schedule → pm
By the time she received it and broke into his locked bedroom at his home in, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, her efforts to revive him with CPR were futile.
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efforts → receive → CPR
A diary entry she later found read: 'I can't find the courage to live any longer.
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I → find → courage
It's too stressful for me to be constantly monitored.
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me → monitor → ?
I love you Mum.
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I → love → you
Henry's parents said their son's death had been 'facilitated by the actions of Kenneth Law'.
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death → say → Law
'Henry will remain a beautiful 14-year-old forever,' they said.
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they → remain → ?
'We are left to imagine the young man he would have become, what he would look like at 16, 18, 21, and beyond.
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he → leave → 16
The world has become a less colourful and joyful place.
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world → become → ?
'The capacity for excitement has left us, and our relationships, friendships, and emotions have become complex and strained.
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relationships → leave → us
The death of a child, particularly under these circumstances, is a heavy burden to carry for the rest of our lives.'
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death → carry → lives
The Crown Prosecution Service said Law was a 'serial offender who callously exploited many vulnerable and innocent people'.
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who → say → people
But British victims are disappointed that there are currently no plans to extradite him to the UK.
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victims → be → UK
Instead, after a National Crime Agency investigation, a deal was struck for the British deaths to be reflected in Law's sentence in Canada.
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deaths → strike → Canada
The maximum sentence for aiding suicide in Canada is 14 years.
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sentence → aid → Canada
Law is expected to be sentenced next month.
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Law → expect → ?
Prosecutors believe Law would have been able to challenge any extradition request due to 'double jeopardy' laws and that the deal was the 'quickest and most effective route' for British victims to secure justice.
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victims → believe → justice
But David Parfett, whose 22-year-old son, Tom, died alone in a hotel room after ingesting a packet of poison sent to him by Law in October 2021, said families of the Brits who died were angry that they will never get to see Law face justice in a UK court.
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Law → die → court
'As far as I'm concerned Law is worse than Harold Shipman,' he said.
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he → concern → Shipman
'It's likely he's caused more deaths than anyone else in history.
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he → cause → history
The fact that we won't see him standing to face charges here beggars belief.'
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him → see → belief
Mr Parfett and other UK families affected have called for a public inquiry into suicide sites online.
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Parfett → affect → sites
He said UK legislation was not fit to prosecute modern digital crimes and the authorities were 'struggling and failing to catch up'.
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authorities → say → crimes
'This is an unprecedented case, there's no organisation or legislation that is shutting these people down,' Mr Parfett, an IT manager, of Twickenham, south-west London, added.
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Parfett → be → Twickenham
'Ofcom are toothless, they fine these sites but the fines dont get paid, and they have refused to apply their power to disrupt these businesses, which is just astonishing.
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which → fine → businesses
'Sites like the ones Law used to sell his poison are still up and running - people are still coming to harm and dying.'
Mr Parfett provided a victim impact statement to the court, which was read out on his behalf.
He said: 'Since Tom died I've struggled with my mental health.
'
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I → use → health
Initially, in the months after he died, I didn't properly mourn him as my focus was on understanding and then exposing the harm caused by the internet platform that allowed Law to trade his suicide kits, and on exposing Law himself.
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Law → die → Law
…and 41 more, not listed.
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