Man admits assisting suicide by selling chemicals online

A man has admitted assisting suicide by selling a substance online to others.

Miles Cross, 33, set up a business selling the chemical via an internet discussion forum and interacted under a pseudonym.

Cross joined the site in July 2024 and posted a QR code, which allowed people to order the chemical directly from him and pay via his bank account.

He received payments of £100 from four people and sent them the chemical through the post.

Two people took their own lives as a result.

When police searched Cross’s address in January 2025, officers discovered amounts of the chemical and other paraphernalia.

And police analysis of his seized devices also linked him to the forum, social media profiles, and the bank account.

Cross pleaded guilty to four charges of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another by providing a chemical compound, when he appeared at Mold Crown Court, North Wales, on Tuesday.

He will be sentenced next year.

In one case Cross was accused of providing chemicals on August 22 last year to Shubhreet Singh.

Ms Singh, 26, died in West Yorkshire last year.

The three other counts, alleged to have happened in August and September last year, relate to people whose names cannot be published because of reporting restrictions.

Cross, of Llys Nantgarw, Wrexham, will be sentenced at Mold Crown Court on January 7.

Detective Superintendent Chris Bell of North Wales Police, said: “Cross took advantage and exploited his victims in their most desperate moments, profiting off their vulnerability and mental illnesses.

“I hope today’s admission provides the victims and their families with some peace of mind and relief that they are now spared the ordeal of a trial.

“My thoughts, and those of the whole investigation team, remain with them today.

“This has been a highly complex and sensitive investigation over the past 10 months, and I want to acknowledge the courage of the witnesses who played an integral part in the investigation during such difficult circumstances.

“I want to thank my team who built a thorough and detailed case that resulted in Cross admitting all four offences, and a number of key partners to which we are grateful, including the Crown Prosecution Service, The National Crime Agency and colleagues from other forces.

“Safeguarding vulnerable individuals is a priority for us, and we continue to work closely with partner agencies to provide support and prevent harm wherever possible.”

Alison Storey, specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Special Crime Division, said: “Miles Cross preyed on four people in a distressed state and knowingly provided a substance intended to end their lives.

“His actions were purely for financial gain, and he made the process of ordering the chemical online easy and accessible.

“This case is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by those who aim to exploit vulnerable individuals online.

“The CPS will always aim to hold offenders to account when they illegally seek to encourage or assist a suicide.

“Our thoughts remain with the families of the victims, and we hope this outcome brings some measure of justice to them.”

– The Samaritans can be contacted for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org for more information.