Families of UK suicide victims address Canadian sentencing of Kenneth Law

Imogen Nunn’s mother had part of victim statement redacted by Canadian authorities

Louise Nunn said Kenneth Law should “rot in hell” as families of British suicide victims prepared to read victim impact statements this week at a Canadian court in Ontario during the sentencing of Law, the former chef who pleaded guilty in May to 14 counts of aiding suicides in Canada. Nunn’s 25-year-old daughter Imogen died at her Brighton flat in January 2023 after buying poison from Law, who sold the toxic substance through online suicide forums.

Law pleaded guilty in May as part of a plea deal with Canadian prosecutors, who withdrew more serious murder charges. Canadian authorities said Law sold about 1,200 packages of toxic substances to recipients he met in online suicide forums in 40 countries, with roughly a quarter of the packages sent to the UK.

UK authorities have linked 79 British deaths to products Law supplied. Under the plea deal, Law will not face charges in the UK or over any British deaths.

In May, families of British victims said they were angry that UK prosecutors had not charged Law over the British deaths. The UK Crown Prosecution Service told the BBC it had agreed to the Canadian plea bargain on the basis that Law’s sentence would take the British deaths into account.

A letter, seen by the BBC, revealed the CPS was concerned Law could challenge his extradition to the UK from Canada, and that including UK victims in the Canadian sentencing process was the “quickest and most effective route” to justice.

Nunn said she felt “let down” by UK prosecutors. “I think we’ve been let down as families. Our children have been let down,” she told the BBC.

Nunn said part of her victim impact statement had been redacted by authorities ahead of the hearing. “I think we had a chance to say the words we wanted to say in our impact statement, but now I’ve been told they’ve redacted my last paragraph, which felt like our only chance,” she said.

In the redacted portion of her statement, Nunn addressed Law directly. “You have destroyed my whole world. If Immy was here now, I know exactly what she would say to me, but I’m not Immy and I will never forgive you,” she said.

Imogen Nunn, known as Immy, was profoundly deaf and had built a presence on social media where she shared a satirical look at her life, her mother said. “She found social media and I just remember how happy she was,” Nunn told the BBC. “She tried to put a spin on a sad situation and she tried to take all the negative things in her life and turn it into more positive. It changed her, her confidence came back. Social media built up her confidence and friendships.”

The CPS said some redactions were being applied to victim impact statements as advised by Canadian counsel, to ensure they were admissible within the Canadian courts. “We recognise the profound impact of Kenneth Law’s offending and are working to ensure all victims and bereaved families have the opportunity to share their individual experiences through the sentencing process,” the CPS said in a statement.

This week, a Canadian court in Ontario is hearing impact statements from UK victims, which will be taken into account at sentencing, due at a later date. It is the only opportunity for British families to have a voice in the legal process.