Man Charged Over Online Sale of Substance Allegedly Aiding Suicide

A 33-year-old man has appeared in court charged with supplying a chemical compound that prosecutors say encouraged or assisted the suicide of a woman and the attempted suicides of three other people. Miles Cross faced a brief hearing at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Thursday on four counts of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another, contrary to Section 21 of the Suicide Act 1961.

Prosecutors allege Cross provided the substance via an online forum on four occasions between August 9 and September 13 last year. One of the recipients, 26-year-old Shubhreet Singh of Leeds, died in West Yorkshire; an inquest into her death was opened and adjourned and has been suspended pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings. The three other people named in the charges are alive and reporting restrictions prevent their identification.

Cross, who gave his name, date of birth and address in the glass-fronted dock but did not enter pleas, was granted conditional bail. Terms include prohibitions on possessing chemicals that could assist or facilitate suicide, accessing suicide-related websites or forums, and using electrical communication devices...