The father of a British student who died by suicide after purchasing a lethal substance from Kenneth Law, a chef known as the 'poison killer,' has expressed anger over the lack of justice in the UK. Thomas Parfett, 22, from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, died in 2021 after taking poison bought online from Law, who recently admitted charges of aiding suicide in Canada.
Kenneth Law's Guilty Plea and UK Victims
Kenneth Law, 60, appeared in an Ontario court after selling 1,200 packages containing lethal substances to individuals across 40 countries, including the UK. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts related to Canadian victims. The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation revealed that 286 people in the UK received packages from Law's websites, resulting in 112 deaths. Despite this, the NCA and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) informed bereaved families that they would not seek Law's extradition to the UK after his Canadian proceedings conclude, citing potential legal challenges.
Family's Reaction to the Decision
David Parfett, 58, Thomas's father, criticized the decision, stating it was made without consulting him and fails to bring justice. 'I am angry but not surprised,' he said. 'He's not ever been charged with a crime against Tom. Yet this is the man that made £50 from selling my son a substance to kill himself, probably having persuaded him to do so, and yet he will never face charges.' Parfett, a data architect from Twickenham, London, believes his son would likely still be alive if not for Law's actions. He also expressed concerns about the potential sentence in Canada, as murder charges were dropped, and called for tougher internet regulations to prevent similar tragedies.
Broader Impact and Calls for Inquiry
Other victims' families, including Adele Zeynep Walton, whose sister Aimee died at 21, have joined calls for a public inquiry. 'A foreign sentencing hearing cannot answer that,' Walton said. 'Only a statutory public inquiry can.' The court heard harrowing details of British victims, including a 43-year-old woman found slumped over her daughter's dollhouse and a man who died three days after his mother's death from cancer. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, described the decision not to prosecute Law in the UK as a 'bitter blow' for families.
Law, who lived near Toronto, allegedly operated a website selling toxic substances for two years, posing as a retired medical examiner on a pro-suicide forum. He has been investigated by authorities in the US, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. His sentencing in Canada is expected to exceed 14 years due to the number of victims.
