The mother of a British teenager who died after taking poison supplied by Canadian seller Kenneth Law broke down while describing the impact of her son's death, as families of British victims gave statements at Law's sentencing hearing in Ontario.
Tanya Whitaker became emotional at the beginning of a video statement about the death of her son Samuel, who was 19 when he died after taking poison supplied by Law.
'He barely had a chance,' Whitaker told the Canadian court.
British authorities have confirmed that 79 people in the UK died after using products supplied by Law. The figure comprises 73 deaths in England and Wales, five in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland.
Mother Describes Devastating Loss
Whitaker told the court that Samuel's death had devastated her family.
She described her son as having been given 'the tools that ended his precious life' and said the consequences had been devastating for those left behind.
'It has broken me completely and utterly. It has broken us as a family and me as a mother,' she said.
Whitaker also said Samuel died alone at university, around 100 miles from his family. The University of Warwick student was found collapsed outside his halls after taking poison sold by Law.
79 UK Victims Linked to Law
Law, a former chef, admitted 14 counts of aiding suicide in Canada.
British authorities have established that 79 people in the UK died after using products he supplied. The Crown Prosecution Service said Law distributed lethal products internationally, knowing they were likely to be used to end lives.
The CPS said Law sent 330 packages to the UK through Canada Post. The BBC reported that Law sent about 1,200 packages containing toxic substances to recipients in 40 countries.
The Canadian proceedings have allowed the experiences of British families to be formally recognised despite the deaths occurring in the UK.
Families Share Pain Of Losing Children
Whitaker was among several relatives who described the lasting consequences of losing a loved one.
Debbie Cornish, whose daughter Danielle died after taking poison supplied by Law, told the hearing that her family was still struggling to cope with the loss.
'Nearly four years on, we are still fighting to keep our family together,' Cornish said in a written statement.
Another family member told the hearing about the death of British victim Aimee Louise Elif Walton.
Walton died in the company of a stranger she had met online, her sister Adele Zeynep Walton said in a video statement played to the court. Walton's sister said the person had travelled from the US and stayed with her in a hotel room for 11 days before her death.
The hearing also heard statements from relatives of other British victims, including Faith Ike-Elechi, Michael Dunham, Yeanu Mistry and Gary Cooper.
Law Sentenced After International Investigation
Law was arrested in May 2023 following an investigation involving law-enforcement agencies in several countries, including Britain, Italy and the US.
The CPS said the decision to pursue the Canadian proceedings followed discussions between British and Canadian authorities. Law's sentencing hearing is continuing in Ontario, where the court is hearing from families affected by deaths linked to the products he supplied.
