A man from North Wales has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for selling a chemical online to individuals intending to take their own lives.
Business Built on Exploitation
Miles Cross, aged 33 and from Wrexham, pleaded guilty to four counts of intentionally committing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another person. His criminal enterprise began in July 2024 when he joined an internet discussion forum using a false name.
Cross established a business with the sole purpose of profiting from vulnerable individuals. He purchased a chemical in bulk and advertised it on the forum, posting a QR code that allowed direct orders. Customers paid him £100 via bank transfer, after which he posted the chemical to them.
Fatal Consequences and Police Investigation
The police launched an investigation into sales on the forum aimed at assisting suicide, leading to Cross's arrest in January 2025. Officers searching his address found the chemical and other related items. His electronic devices provided clear evidence, linking him to the forum profiles and the bank account used for transactions.
Tragically, two of the people he supplied died. One was 26-year-old Shubhreet Singh from West Yorkshire, who died last year. Another customer, a woman who survived, told how she purchased the substance at a time of deep vulnerability.
"Because this person made it so easily available makes me think they preyed on vulnerable people like me," she said. "The substance he advertised, sold, and sent me could have ended my life."
A Landmark Prosecution and Public Warning
During police interviews, Cross refused to help identify others who might have been at risk after receiving the chemical. He later admitted the charges, resulting in what is believed to be the first prosecution of its kind.
North Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Evans condemned Cross's actions. "It's surprising that someone would stoop so low as to take advantage of people in such a vulnerable state and seek to profit from them," he stated.
He urged anyone struggling to seek proper help from specialists like the Samaritans and to avoid online forums where predators operate. Alison Storey, a senior prosecutor, said Cross had "obviously targeted people who were vulnerable" and seemed driven purely by profit.
Following a joint investigation with the National Crime Agency and OFCOM, the forum used by Cross is no longer accessible in the UK.
If you are feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal, confidential help is available 24/7 from the Samaritans by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.
