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A 33-year-old man has appeared in court accused of selling a poisonous chemical to a woman who later d!ed by suicide.
Miles Cross is charged with encouraging and assisting 26-year-old Shubhreet Singh to take her own life by providing the substance through an online forum in August last year.
An inquest into Ms Singh’s death, from Leeds, was opened and adjourned in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, last November.
Wrexham Magistrates’ Court heard that Cross is also accused of supplying the same chemical to assist or attempt to assist the suicides of three other people — two men and a woman — who survived. Their identities cannot be disclosed for legal reasons.
Cross, who appeared in court wearing a white shirt, black suit, and tie, spoke only to confirm his name, address, and date of birth during the brief 10-minute hearing. He did not enter any pleas to the charges.
The offences are alleged to have occurred between August 9 and September 13 last year through sales made on an online forum.
District Judge Gwyn Jones granted Cross bail on the condition that he does not use any electronic communication devices without first registering them with North Wales Police. He is also prohibited from accessing suicide-related websites or possessing any materials that could facilitate self-harm.
At an earlier hearing at Wakefield Coroner’s Court on October 10, it was revealed that an individual had been charged in connection with Ms Singh’s death. Coroner Oliver Longstaff described it as an alleged “assisted suicide” and confirmed that the inquest had been suspended pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, said:
“We have decided to prosecute Miles Cross with four offences of encouraging or assisting suicide following a police investigation into a business selling a substance via an online forum.
Our prosecutors have determined that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to proceed.
We have worked closely with North Wales Police as they carried out their investigation.”
Cross is due to appear before Mold Crown Court next month.
