Investigating the suicide of a young student, The Times's social affairs editor James Beal follows a trail leading from a quiet British town to frozen Canada, where he discovers a man allegedly selling death online.
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Today on Friday, 29th May, 2026 Kenneth Law has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting suicide in Canada.
In this special bonus episode, James chats to a former Ontario police officer about how they brought Law to justice, and catches up with Tom Parfett’s father, David.
WARNING: This series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Investigations editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
29 Aug 2024
2024 UPDATE: Kenneth Law in the dock (Pt 5)
In this update episode of Poison, Kenneth Law faces 14 counts of murder and 14 of aiding suicide.
James sits down with series producer Will to talk through the developments.
WARNING: This series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
3 May 2023
UPDATE: Kenneth Law is arrested (Pt 4)
A huge moment in The Times podcast series Poison.
Days after Poison first aired, Kenneth Law is arrested in Canada. At a late-night press conference, police reveal the alleged scale of his operation: 1,200 packages, shipped to over 40 countries.
For the families left behind, the arrest brings both relief and renewed grief, and a question that hangs over the entire investigation: why did it take so long?
WARNING: this series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Apr 2023
BONUS: A conversation on suicide prevention
In this bonus episode of Poison, James goes beyond the headlines and looks at the academic research into why people take their own lives.
Why does suicide occur? Why is there still a stigma around it? And how can we work to prevent people from taking their own lives?
If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Guest: Professor Rory O'Connor, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow.
Author of 'When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do to Prevent It' (https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/442218/when-it-is-darkest-by-professor-rory-oconnor/9781785043437)
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
27 Apr 2023
An encounter in Toronto (Pt 3)
In part three of Poison, James flies to Canada, hoping to talk to Kenneth Law.
After days chasing leads, he tracks him down to a car park in Toronto.
WARNING: this series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 Apr 2023
The man who sells death (Pt 2)
In part two of Poison, the search for answers leads to a name: Kenneth Law. From a quiet suburb outside Toronto, Law appears to run a website selling a substance to young, vulnerable, adults around the world, some of whom are using it to take their own lives.
WARNING: this series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
25 Apr 2023
The Life of Tom Parfett (Pt 1)
Twenty two-year-old Tom Parfett took his own life in October, 2021.
In part one of Poison, his father David begins to ask questions. What first appeared as an isolated tragedy reveals a darker truth - one that exposes the ease with which death can be bought online.
WARNING: This series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.
Email: james.beal@thetimes.co.uk (mailto:james.beal@thetimes.co.uk)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
24 Apr 2023
Introducing: Poison
Twenty two-year-old Tom Parfett took his own life in October, 2021. In The Times series, Poison, his grieving father’s search for answers leads investigative journalist James Beal from a quiet British town to a freezing carpark in Canada, where he tracks down a man allegedly selling death online.
In this award-winning series Poison, James uncovers the global trade in a lethal substance, searches for the man alleged to be at its centre, and exposes the systemic failures that allowed it to thrive.
WARNING: This series contains discussions about suicide. If you or someone you know has been affected or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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