A British woman who survived being sold toxic chemicals by Canadian Kenneth Law confronted him in court on Wednesday, telling a sentencing hearing in Ontario that he had exploited her vulnerability at one of the lowest points of her life.

Elisabeth Belien, who had not previously been publicly identified as one of Law's customers, said she was 23 years old when she purchased the poison from him in January 2023. She said medics saved her life by administering an antidote, but said the psychological effects have been lasting.

"I had struggled with my mental health for a long time before this. Kenneth Law made it a lot easier to act on that despair," she told the court.

"I continue to struggle with intrusive thoughts and flashbacks of that day. I made a full recovery. However, emotionally and psychologically, the effects are far more long lasting."

Belien said she later experienced survivor's guilt after police informed her that others had died. "I feel guilty for surviving. Although I survived, it has also impacted my loved ones. I feel like my vulnerability was exploited. I still feel a lot of shame about what happened," she said.

She added that buying from Law made her feel complicit in his operation. "I felt like the purchasing from Kenneth Law, I enabled him to continue his business, supplying his products, to other people who might have been vulnerable, like I was. I felt guilty for surviving."

Despite the trauma, Belien said she was working toward recovery. "I'm learning that things can get better. I'm learning to be excited to see what the future holds for me. But the gratitude I'm feeling for being alive today doesn't take away from the trauma of the experience."

Law, a former chef, has admitted 14 counts of aiding suicides in Canada. Authorities say he sold approximately 1,200 packages of toxic substances to people he contacted through online suicide forums across 40 countries. Roughly a quarter of those packages were sent to the UK, where nearly 80 deaths have been linked to him.

He was arrested in May 2023 following an investigation involving at least 11 law-enforcement agencies from around a dozen countries, including the UK, Italy and the United States.

Under a plea deal with Canadian authorities, Law will not face charges related to deaths in the UK. However, victim impact statements from British families are being read during the four-day sentencing hearing.

David Parfett, whose son Tom died in October 2021, described the lasting toll of his loss. "Since Tom died, I've struggled with my mental health. Initially, in the months after he died, I didn't properly mourn him, because my focus was on understanding, and then exposing the harm caused by the internet platforms that allowed Law to trade suicide to kids," he said.

"I'm still, after five years, unable to fully process Tom's death. I'm a very different person to who I was before Tom took his own life, having previously been gregarious, outgoing. I find it difficult to enjoy life."

A statement was also read on behalf of the parents of Henry Tucker, a 14-year-old British boy who died in October 2021. His parents, Kate and Henry Tucker, said their son had been misdiagnosed with autism when he actually had a neurological condition that could have been treated with antibiotics.

"The realisation that his suffering and his death could have been prevented is a weight that is impossible to bear," they said. "The death of a child under these circumstances is a heavy burden to carry for the rest of our lives. We will carry it however with Henry's blessings until we meet again. We love you Henry."

Norson Harris, the father of British victim Ashleigh Harris, read his statement in person. "The circumstances of Ashleigh's death have been incredibly tough to bear. We all feel we should have been able to prevent Ashleigh's death," he said.

"Rather than offer the help needed, that individual Kenneth Law sold her a chemical that Ashleigh took to end her life. I still hope over time Mr Law will recognise the answer to Ashleigh and the myriad of others who reached out to him should have been that they were loved and there was help available to them."

Stephen Mitchell Sr, the father of Canadian victim Stephen Mitchell Jr, also addressed the court, describing the death of his son on March 25, 2023. "He was ill, he needed help, and I tried my best to bring him that help," he said. "Mr Law robbed my son."