A 33-year-old man from Merseyside is facing serious criminal charges after a major investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Kenneth Law, of St Helens, has been charged with encouraging or assisting suicide and selling a potentially lethal substance online.
The charges are connected to the alleged sale of a chemical compound via an internet forum, which investigators believe was marketed to individuals at risk of self-harm. The NCA's probe forms part of a wider, international investigation into similar activities.
Law appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Friday, 22 September, where the charges were formally presented. The case has been sent to the Crown Court for a hearing scheduled for October.
The investigation highlights growing concerns about the dangerous proliferation of harmful substances and advice available on digital platforms. Authorities are increasingly focused on combating online spaces that facilitate or encourage self-harm.
This case follows a complex inquiry led by the NCA's complex crime team, underscoring the agency's commitment to tackling cyber-enabled offences that pose a direct threat to vulnerable people.
