Man who assisted suicide through sale of substance is jailed

A man who assisted suicide by selling a substance to four people via an online forum has been jailed.

Miles Cross, 33, from Wrexham, set up a business and began selling the substance via an internet discussion forum after joining the online site in July 2024.

Interacting under a pseudonym, he posted that he had obtained the necessary paraphernalia for suicide by the chemical method and posted a photograph of the drug.

He also posted a QR code which linked to his bank account and allowed people to order the substance directly from him and pay via that account.

Cross received payments of £100 from four people and sent them the substance through the post. Two people took their own lives as a result.

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

Police analysis of Cross’s seized devices linked him to the forum, social media profiles, and the bank account.

On 18 November at Mold Crown Court, Cross pleaded guilty to four offences of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another person.

He was jailed for a total of 14 years today at the same court.

The prosecution followed an investigation by North Wales Police.

Alison Storey, Specialist Prosecutor with the 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 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.”

Building the case

To prove the offence of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another person, the CPS needed to show that Cross committed an act capable of encouraging or assisting suicide with the intent that a suicide or assisted suicide was the result.  

By working closely with the investigation team within North Wales Police, we were able to do this by proving:

• A quantity of a chemical was found following a search of Cross’ home address. The large amount recovered clearly indicated that this was not for his own personal use. Items required for despatching the chemical to customers were also discovered and documentary evidence of these purchases prior to him supplying the chemical suggested they were bought specifically for this purpose.
• In the weeks before he signed up to the internet site, he took steps to effectively launch a small business.  He set up a new email address, a new mobile phone and new bank account. His Telegram account, to receive payments, was activated soon after.
• The internet site provided a ready market for his product. He was in contact with people who he would be aware were considering suicide. He supplied a QR code which linked to his Telegram account to allow them to make payments to him for his product.
• Financial records established that Cross received four payments of £100, one from each of the named victims. There are Royal mail records and tracking information which establishes that packages were sent by Cross to each of them. This evidence included Cross’ name, address and email address.

Overall, this evidence provided a strong picture that Cross obtained the chemical with the intention of supplying it to vulnerable people, and that this was a commercial venture from the start. 

As a result, Cross admitted his guilt and was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment at Mold Crown Court on 7 January 2026.