Tom’s story

A bright philosophy student, Tom was able to purchase a substance promoted on a pro-suicide forum to end his life.

The substance is linked to at least 135 deaths in the UK and the forum is currently under investigation by Ofcom through the Online Safety Act.

Tom Parfett was 22 when he found a pro-suicide forum online through which he was encouraged to end his life.

After Tom had taken the substance users of the forum congratulated him and allowed him to die without any intervention.

Tom’s dad David has been campaigning tirelessly to close the forum and restrict the sale of the substance that ended his son’s life.

He worked with Times journalist James Beal to expose the seller of the substance, Kenneth Law, who authorities say sent 1,200 packages of poison to 40 countries.

David is a member of Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms who are calling on Ofcom to use  all the powers at their disposal to shut down the site and for the Government to act to stop the sale of the substance to vulnerable people.

David said: “Despite numerous media investigations and campaigning from bereaved families it is inconceivable that the forum is still active and young people continue to die. Authorities are failing to take action to protect lives. We need robust enforcement from Ofcom to close the site and a public inquiry to force Government to act on successive failures and ultimately prevent more completely preventable deaths.”