Families of British victims of Canadian poison seller Kenneth Law have described the profound impact of losing their loved ones as the Ontario court heard emotional impact statements on the second day of his sentencing hearing. Tanya Whitaker, mother of University of Warwick student Samuel Whitaker, broke down while recounting how her son died after taking poison sold by Law, who has admitted to aiding 14 suicides in Canada but is suspected of involvement in far more deaths globally.
Law, a former chef, distributed approximately 1,200 packages of toxic substances to vulnerable individuals he encountered in online suicide forums across 40 countries. According to reporting on the hearing, a CBC investigation suggests Law is suspected of being tied to at least 147 deaths worldwide, though authorities have linked him to nearly 80 deaths in the UK. He was arrested in May 2023 following a complex investigation involving at least 11 law-enforcement agencies from around a dozen countries, including the UK, Italy and the United States.
The sentencing hearing, which opened on September 23, 2026, is scheduled to continue over four days with the Crown indicating 74 victim impact statements will be read. Judge Michelle Fuerst has set aside this time to hear testimony from families before delivering a sentence. A plea deal with Canadian authorities means Law will not face charges in the UK or over any British deaths.
What families have said about their losses
Whitaker told the Ontario court on Thursday that her son Samuel, who was 19 years old, had been given access to the means to end his life.
"The enormity of losing a child is catastrophic. Samuel was just 19 when he was handed the tools that ended his precious life."She described the impact on her entire household, saying:
"It has broken me completely and utterly. It has broken us as a family and me as a mother. Our son died alone at university 100 miles away from his family. We will never be able to forgive ourselves for this happening."
Whitaker noted that Samuel had been the only biological son of her husband, Paul, and that the loss had left him profoundly changed.
"He is a shell of himself today. Broken and devastated beyond repair,"she said.
Debbie Cornish, mother of British victim Danielle Cornish, submitted a written statement in which she referred to Law only by his initials.
"Words on paper can't even begin to describe the painful loss of our amazing daughter. Nothing will be the same ever again as we are part of a surreal nightmare. Nearly four years on, we are still fighting to keep our family together... not to mention the constant thoughts of how she may have died. KL has changed the life of many many families all across the world as well as ours. We are living a constant nightmare."
Faith George, mother of Faith Ike-Elechi, who went by the nickname Chimma, discovered her daughter helpless on the floor after she had consumed the poison.
"Her last words echo in my mind every day,"George said in her statement. She expressed what she would tell her daughter if given the chance: that she had never stopped being proud of her.
Maurice Dunham, father of British victim Michael Dunham, recounted the final moments he spent with his son. The last time he saw Michael alive was during a family holiday to Croatia, which Michael had left early to return home.
"The last conversation I had with him was an argument,"Dunham wrote in his statement. When he returned home days later, he discovered Michael was dead.
"The feeling I had was like an electric shock going through me. I blamed myself for not stopping Michael from leaving the hotel room. I planned to take my own life. I didn't care if I lived or died."
The mother of Yeanu Mistry told the court that receiving news of his death was
"the news every parent fears."Maureen Cooper, mother of poison victim Gary Cooper, described the pain of losing her son as unbearable.
"A death such as this is the thing of nightmares,"her written statement said.
Survivor describes exploitation and shame
On Wednesday, the court heard from Elisabeth Belien, a British survivor who was given an antidote that saved her life after taking poison from Law.
"I feel guilty for surviving. Although I survived, it has also impacted my loved ones. I feel like my vulnerability was exploited. I still feel a lot of shame about what happened."
The legal proceedings and guilty plea
Law pleaded guilty in May 2026 to counselling or aiding 14 suicides in Ontario. This plea followed a planned trial on those charges plus 14 first-degree murder counts tied to the same victims. Prosecutors have indicated they plan to withdraw the murder charges after Law is sentenced, according to court filings.
The case originated from Law's activities in online suicide forums and websites, where he allegedly sold lethal chemicals and related products to vulnerable individuals seeking to end their lives. His operation spanned multiple continents and involved recipients from 40 different countries. Roughly a quarter of the approximately 1,200 packages he distributed were sent to the UK.
What happens next
The sentencing hearing is expected to continue over several days, with court scheduled to resume on September 25, 2026 for additional victim impact statements. It is not yet clear when Judge Michelle Fuerst will deliver the sentence, though the hearing has been allocated four days for all testimony and evidence to be presented before sentencing takes place.
Key Facts:
- Kenneth Law admitted to aiding 14 suicides in Ontario; a CBC investigation suggests he may be tied to at least 147 deaths worldwide
- He distributed approximately 1,200 packages of toxic substances to vulnerable people in online suicide forums across 40 countries, with roughly 25 per cent sent to the UK
- A plea deal means Law will not face charges in the UK or over any British deaths, though 74 victim impact statements are being heard during the Ontario sentencing hearing
- Law was arrested in May 2023 following a complex investigation involving at least 11 law-enforcement agencies from around a dozen countries
- The sentencing hearing began on September 23, 2026, with Judge Michelle Fuerst presiding over the four-day proceeding
