A man who sold a deadly chemical online to help people kill themselves has been jailed in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in the UK.
Miles Cross, 33, pleaded guilty to four counts of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting suicide and was sentenced at Mold crown court on Wednesday to 14 years in prison.
The court heard Cross posted packages containing the unnamed fatal chemical to four people he met while posting anonymously in a suicide forum in August and September 2024. Two subsequently took their own lives using the substance, for which the defendant had charged £100.
Judge Rowlands praised what he described as a thorough investigation by North Wales police, which worked with Ofcom to close down UK access to the forum Cross used to search for victims. The force also consulted experts from the National Crime Agency, the NHS, and the charity Samaritans.
“This is a rare and extremely serious case,” he said. That Cross did not know any of the recipients and how vulnerable they were was a “serious aggravating feature”, he added.
Gareth Evans, the assistant chief constable, said the force hoped the sentencing would “alert vulnerable people to predators”.
“Even though the actual money that exchanged hands was not great … [Cross] sought to take advantage of people’s vulnerability. It has been a unique investigation and I believe it is the first prosecution of its kind in the UK involving someone using an online forum to target vulnerable people,” he said.
The prosecution said Cross joined the forum to research suicide methods for his own use after “emotional deterioration” and problems with gambling, alcohol and sedative use. He told probation officers it served as his “bible”.
Cross posted a message and a picture of the chemicals in July 2024, saying he “finally had everything”. He added a QR code that allowed people to order and pay, the prosecution said.
Cross was arrested in a raid in January 2025. Officers found the substance there, and analysis of Cross’s devices linked him to the forum, social media profiles, and the bank account.
He pleaded guilty to four charges of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another by providing a chemical compound in November last year.
Owing to reporting restrictions, only one victim, 29-year-old Shubreet Singh, from Leeds, was named in the case. Police found a foil bag with Cross’s return address on it at her home, and messages from Cross on her phone in which he asked if she needed help sourcing the chemical.
The poisonous substance has been linked to at least 133 UK deaths, according to the suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation.
One of Cross’s surviving victims said they hoped the court case would encourage other vulnerable people to seek professional help.
“The fact this was so easy makes me think, had I not come to my senses, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” they said in a statement. “I hope my words can be used to support others and to ensure safety for those who might be in similar situations.”
Outside court, Det Supt Chris Bell, of North Wales police, said: “Today’s sentence reflects the severity of Cross’s offending, as he preyed on his victims online and exploited them in their most desperate moments, profiting off their vulnerability and mental wellbeing.
“Instead of assisting them to seek support, he proactively encouraged them to end their lives and provided them with a means to do so, which tragically and needlessly resulted in two deaths.
“I want to acknowledge the courage of each of the survivors who played an integral part in this complex investigation during such difficult circumstances, and the devastating impact it has had on the lives of the family and friends of the two people who tragically lost their lives.
“If you have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, help is out there. Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone.”
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
