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The Irish Sun
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
From clever apps & free games to animal web cams & fun ways to get kids moving – how you can use screens for good
Plus some podcasts you'll enjoy too! SCREEN QUEENS From clever apps & free games to animal web cams & fun ways to get kids moving – how you can use screens for good WITH the long summer ahead, parents may find themselves relying on screens more than they would like to keep the kids entertained. A recent survey found that a third of mums and dads will be using phones, tablets and TVs to fill up the six-week break. Advertisement 8 There is plenty of content online for kids that can be enriching and engaging Credit: Getty But this doesn't have to mean rotting your children's brains or exposing them to online dangers. If you choose carefully, there is plenty of content that can be enriching and engaging – and won't break the bank. Here's our pick of the best . . . OPEN THEIR MINDS WITH YOUTUBE THERE are dozens of great educational channels on YouTube. Advertisement read more on school holidays SCREEN-FREE FUN I've kept 5m kids entertained with my cheap, minimal-mess activities Using the YouTube Kids app, select the channels you want them to see and limit everything else. 8 MC Grammar is the rapper alter-ego of teacher Jacob Mitchell Credit: Times Media Ltd A great pick is MC Grammar, the rapper alter-ego of teacher Jacob Mitchell. His channel is full of rap versions of favourite books by authors such as David Walliams and Julia Donaldson, and he also raps the times tables. Advertisement Or try Kids Invent Stuff, run by engineer and inventor Ruth Amos. Kids will have hours of fun in the garden with The Range's bargain buy - it also lights up, plays music & is on sale Children send in drawings of inventions, which Ruth and her team then have a go at making. So far they've made everything from doorbells that explode popcorn to a 6ft unicorn that poops jelly babies – combining science with a whole load of fun. 8 CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate's channel is full of educational and entertaining content Credit: youtube/maddiemoate Advertisement CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate's channel is packed full of educational and entertaining content for all ages, including one about how astronauts poo in space and another all about exploding cucumbers. She also has a second channel, Let's Go Live, with co-host Greg Foot. It features easy science activities to do at home, using items bought from the supermarket, so kids can put their learning into practice. GET THEIR BODIES MOVING TOO SCREEN time isn't an excuse to be a couch potato, so check out Cosmic Kids Yoga, available as a YouTube channel and an app. Advertisement Yoga instructor Jaime Amor helps them practise yoga moves to songs and stories, such as Room On The Broom or Moana. 8 Cosmic Kids Yoga helps get kids moving Jaime also has a Peace Out series, which introduces mindfulness to children aged five and upwards – perfect for calming overactive rascals. SEE THE WORLD FROM THE SOFA YOU don't have to get on a plane this summer to see the world, thanks to innovative website Advertisement The site features live webcams dotted all over the globe, ranging from an aquarium in Monterey Bay, California, and bird sanctuaries, to an elephant park in Tembe, South Africa. 8 Use innovative website to see the world Credit: They even have cameras located in a puppy play room and a kitten rescue centre. It's live, so you never know what will cross your screen – and if you're lucky you might see something super special. Advertisement PLAY GAMES IF your kids are badgering you for expensive games or consoles, steer them to ones you're already paying for through streaming subscriptions. On Netflix, head to the main screen and click on the Games tab. 8 On Netflix you can play games such as Sonic Mania Plus Credit: Credit: Chris Willson / Alamy Stock Photo Options, which include Sonic Mania Plus, can then be played using a smartphone as a controller. Advertisement The games do not work with an Apple TV. Amazon Prime offers a selection of free games to download, usually available to play on your PC. The choice refreshes every month. And on Sky TV, head to the app to access a load of kid-friendly games that they can play on the telly. Advertisement The range includes retro options such as Pac-Man and Tetris. PODCASTS THEY WILL LOVE… GOT a long car journey coming up? If so, it's time to download a podcast. Most of them are free on either Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 8 The Bust Or Trust podcast investigates some of Earth's most interesting mysteries Advertisement Try Bust Or Trust, which investigates some of Earth's most interesting mysteries, including supposedly haunted paintings, aliens and the truth behind Stonehenge. Younger kids will be entranced by Thomas & Friends Storytime, a weekly podcast with tales about the origins of the engines – and plenty of life lessons too. But kids of all ages will love Story Pirates. With help from comedians, songwriters and celebrity guests, the hosts bring to life stories that have been written by children. Advertisement Recent episodes include an interview with a zombie expert and a Dungeons And Dragons special. It's an award-winning series with weekly episodes plus a huge back catalogue to enjoy. For budding history buffs, there's You're Dead To Me, where comedians and expert historians have funny chats which should keep the whole family engaged. Episodes have covered everything, from Arctic exploration to King Arthur. Advertisement And at the end of a long day, Sleep Tight Stories has lots of child-friendly tales which promise to send your little ones off to sleep. …PODCASTS YOU'LL LOVE TOO IF you've got older kids, there's a wealth of podcasts that are aimed at adults but have lots to offer teens too. The Rest Is History is hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, and they have a real knack for explaining history in simple terms. 8 Ed Gamble and James Acaster's Off Menu podcast gives hours of entertainment Advertisement Another great option is Stuff You Should Know, hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. They are able to explain just about anything, from the origins of ketchup to what lurks in the catacombs of Paris. But if it's a simple laugh they're after, then the Off Menu podcast will serve up hours of entertainment. Comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster interview celebrity guests all about food, asking them to pick their favourite starters, sides, mains and deserts. Advertisement Recent episodes have included Marvel star Sebastian Stan and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley, as well as actor David Tennant. If you've got a teen who loves movies, a great option is Film Sack. Four hosts watch an old movie – one that's available on streaming services – and give it a playful review over the course of 90 minutes. This is best if you have older teens. Advertisement The show is largely clean, though that will depend a little bit on the movie that's being 'sacked' (ripped apart). Recent episodes have included a look at Ocean's Twelve and The Goonies.
Scottish Sun
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
From clever apps & free games to animal web cams & fun ways to get kids moving – how you can use screens for good
Plus some podcasts you'll enjoy too! SCREEN QUEENS From clever apps & free games to animal web cams & fun ways to get kids moving – how you can use screens for good WITH the long summer ahead, parents may find themselves relying on screens more than they would like to keep the kids entertained. A recent survey found that a third of mums and dads will be using phones, tablets and TVs to fill up the six-week break. 8 There is plenty of content online for kids that can be enriching and engaging Credit: Getty But this doesn't have to mean rotting your children's brains or exposing them to online dangers. If you choose carefully, there is plenty of content that can be enriching and engaging – and won't break the bank. Here's our pick of the best . . . OPEN THEIR MINDS WITH YOUTUBE THERE are dozens of great educational channels on YouTube. Using the YouTube Kids app, select the channels you want them to see and limit everything else. 8 MC Grammar is the rapper alter-ego of teacher Jacob Mitchell Credit: Times Media Ltd A great pick is MC Grammar, the rapper alter-ego of teacher Jacob Mitchell. His channel is full of rap versions of favourite books by authors such as David Walliams and Julia Donaldson, and he also raps the times tables. Or try Kids Invent Stuff, run by engineer and inventor Ruth Amos. Kids will have hours of fun in the garden with The Range's bargain buy - it also lights up, plays music & is on sale Children send in drawings of inventions, which Ruth and her team then have a go at making. So far they've made everything from doorbells that explode popcorn to a 6ft unicorn that poops jelly babies – combining science with a whole load of fun. 8 CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate's channel is full of educational and entertaining content Credit: youtube/maddiemoate CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate's channel is packed full of educational and entertaining content for all ages, including one about how astronauts poo in space and another all about exploding cucumbers. She also has a second channel, Let's Go Live, with co-host Greg Foot. It features easy science activities to do at home, using items bought from the supermarket, so kids can put their learning into practice. GET THEIR BODIES MOVING TOO SCREEN time isn't an excuse to be a couch potato, so check out Cosmic Kids Yoga, available as a YouTube channel and an app. Yoga instructor Jaime Amor helps them practise yoga moves to songs and stories, such as Room On The Broom or Moana. 8 Cosmic Kids Yoga helps get kids moving Jaime also has a Peace Out series, which introduces mindfulness to children aged five and upwards – perfect for calming overactive rascals. SEE THE WORLD FROM THE SOFA YOU don't have to get on a plane this summer to see the world, thanks to innovative website The site features live webcams dotted all over the globe, ranging from an aquarium in Monterey Bay, California, and bird sanctuaries, to an elephant park in Tembe, South Africa. 8 Use innovative website to see the world Credit: They even have cameras located in a puppy play room and a kitten rescue centre. It's live, so you never know what will cross your screen – and if you're lucky you might see something super special. PLAY GAMES IF your kids are badgering you for expensive games or consoles, steer them to ones you're already paying for through streaming subscriptions. On Netflix, head to the main screen and click on the Games tab. 8 On Netflix you can play games such as Sonic Mania Plus Credit: Credit: Chris Willson / Alamy Stock Photo Options, which include Sonic Mania Plus, can then be played using a smartphone as a controller. The games do not work with an Apple TV. Amazon Prime offers a selection of free games to download, usually available to play on your PC. The choice refreshes every month. And on Sky TV, head to the app to access a load of kid-friendly games that they can play on the telly. The range includes retro options such as Pac-Man and Tetris. PODCASTS THEY WILL LOVE… GOT a long car journey coming up? If so, it's time to download a podcast. Most of them are free on either Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 8 The Bust Or Trust podcast investigates some of Earth's most interesting mysteries Try Bust Or Trust, which investigates some of Earth's most interesting mysteries, including supposedly haunted paintings, aliens and the truth behind Stonehenge. Younger kids will be entranced by Thomas & Friends Storytime, a weekly podcast with tales about the origins of the engines – and plenty of life lessons too. But kids of all ages will love Story Pirates. With help from comedians, songwriters and celebrity guests, the hosts bring to life stories that have been written by children. Recent episodes include an interview with a zombie expert and a Dungeons And Dragons special. It's an award-winning series with weekly episodes plus a huge back catalogue to enjoy. For budding history buffs, there's You're Dead To Me, where comedians and expert historians have funny chats which should keep the whole family engaged. Episodes have covered everything, from Arctic exploration to King Arthur. And at the end of a long day, Sleep Tight Stories has lots of child-friendly tales which promise to send your little ones off to sleep. …PODCASTS YOU'LL LOVE TOO IF you've got older kids, there's a wealth of podcasts that are aimed at adults but have lots to offer teens too. The Rest Is History is hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, and they have a real knack for explaining history in simple terms. 8 Ed Gamble and James Acaster's Off Menu podcast gives hours of entertainment Another great option is Stuff You Should Know, hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. They are able to explain just about anything, from the origins of ketchup to what lurks in the catacombs of Paris. But if it's a simple laugh they're after, then the Off Menu podcast will serve up hours of entertainment. Comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster interview celebrity guests all about food, asking them to pick their favourite starters, sides, mains and deserts. Recent episodes have included Marvel star Sebastian Stan and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley, as well as actor David Tennant. If you've got a teen who loves movies, a great option is Film Sack. Four hosts watch an old movie – one that's available on streaming services – and give it a playful review over the course of 90 minutes. This is best if you have older teens. The show is largely clean, though that will depend a little bit on the movie that's being 'sacked' (ripped apart). Recent episodes have included a look at Ocean's Twelve and The Goonies.
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
My son died in agony in Premier Inn after buying poison from sick suicide site…grief drove me to hunt down evil seller
SCROLLING through a string of deeply disturbing online posts, David Parfett was horrified. Dozens of desperate users were openly discussing suicide - sharing not just their intentions, but graphic, step-by-step methods. 15 Tom Parfett died by suicide after purchasing poison recommended by a suicide forum Credit: Supplied 15 Tom's father, David, embarked on a journey to track down how his son had fallen into this rabbit hole Credit: Times Media Ltd 15 Eventually the seller of the poison was traced to Canadian chef Kenneth Law Credit: Peel Regional Police/PA Wire Even more chilling were the replies. Instead of offering help or directing them to support services, other users cheered them on, offered praise and gave practical advice on how to end their lives. As David read on, one specific substance was mentioned again and again - a deadly poison users recommended, complete with instructions on where to buy it and how to take it. It was the chemical his 22-year-old son Tom had used just months earlier, after being drawn into this same dark corner of the internet. With just a few clicks, David found himself on a website where he was able to order a lethal dose of the substance - which The Sun is not naming - for £50. 'It arrived a few days later - I found myself with a packet of the poison I knew my son had used,' David, 56, tells The Sun. 'I couldn't believe what I was seeing. 'It was clear that there were people who were selling these poisons and other methods on the site as well. 'It was quite obvious to me how Tom was able to get it - and that there's people out there who are posting this poison to vulnerable people, facilitated by internet forums like this one. 'It was blindingly obvious that there's a bigger problem here.' Determined to protect others from suffering the tragic fate of his son - and with police 'uninterested' in probing the sites David had found, the dad turned to journalist James Beal. My son died in agony in Premier Inn after buying poison from sick suicide site…I was so distraught I hunted down seller That call triggered an investigation that unmasked chef Kenneth Law, from Toronto, Canada as the man suspected of supplying a lethal substance to suicidal people around the world. So far, 131 deaths have been linked to Law's products - with at least 97 in the UK and Law is currently in jail, awaiting trial. Canadian police say he sent 1,209 packages to 41 countries. Now, a new Channel 4 series, Poisoned: Killer in the Post, explores the case and the scale of devastation left in its wake. Childhood struggles The two-part documentary follows David and other bereaved relatives as they grapple with the ease with which this substance is shipped around the globe - along with their combined efforts to track down Law, 59 and bring him to account. 'This is a man that knew what he was doing,' David, a data director from Twickenham, south-west London, says. 'Just because he was posting the means [for people] to kill themselves rather than applying it in person doesn't make it any less of a murder case, in my opinion. 15 David remembers his son Tom as a high achiever with a dry sense of humour Credit: Supplied 15 Struggles with academic pressure led to a decline in Tom's mental health Credit: x/davidgparfett 15 David felt as if Tom wasn't getting the mental health support he needed while studying at university Credit: Times Media Ltd 'The scale of loss is astonishing.' David remembers Man United fan Tom as a high achiever with a distinctive laugh, a dry sense of humour and a 'lovely group of friends.' A gifted student, he excelled at maths and got 'almost perfect GCSEs' - but this 'came at a cost,' as Tom, who was autistic and had ADHD, struggled with academic pressure. He developed severe anxiety which led him to taking some time out of school, and his mental health declined sharply when he was 19, after a fellow sixth-form student died by suicide. 'I think that was the starting place of actually Tom contemplating doing the same himself,' David says. 'He started openly discussing an idea about ending his own life.' While Tom, who went on to study at the University of St Andrews, was engaged with mental health services, he 'was not getting the support he felt he should get,' David says. There was a knock on the door about five o'clock in the morning... I think at that moment I knew what had happened David In the weeks leading up to his death, Tom - whose parents are not together - had been staying with his mum. On the day of his death he had said that he was checking into a mental health support facility. David says: 'He was telling us quite a positive story of [...how] he was hopeful that they'd be able to help him. Obviously that clearly wasn't what was on his mind.' Lonely death Learning of Tom's death was 'every parent's nightmare,' he says. 'There was a knock on the door about five o'clock in the morning [...] and there was a police car outside. I think at that moment I knew what had happened,' he recalls. 'I felt really sorry for the [two] young policemen standing there, shaking and clearly quite agitated. '[I] was saying, 'Is it Tom? Has he killed himself?'' 15 David put himself in Tom's shoes and was shocked at how easily he was able to find the poison for sale online Credit: Supplied 15 Tom secretly checked into a hotel to administer himself the substance Credit: Supplied 15 The stunned dad found that these online forums promised to "help" people with suicidal thoughts - but were in fact filled with people encouraging each other to take their own lives Credit: Channel 4 The police explained that Tom had been found in a Premier Inn in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, with the deadly substance. Not wanting others to be harmed, he had stuck a note to his door warning that there was poison inside, which prompted an evacuation of the hotel. In the aftermath of Tom's death, David says he went into 'emergency mode,' arranging his funeral, dealing with the coroner's office and alerting his friends to the tragedy. 'You're just in shock,' he says. 'It was only when that shock started to abate that I became curious about understanding what had happened.' David felt that the police investigation 'had its blinkers on' - looking at what had happened in the hotel room and not the wider circumstances that led to Tom taking his life. 'Tom lived a lot of his life online,' David explains. 'I think it's only natural these days if you've grown up using the internet, you'd turn to the internet if you wanted to find a group of like-minded people that could help you understand your own feelings.' The poison suffocates the body from the inside. I know Tom would've died in agony David He continues: 'So, not long after his death, I sat down and almost put myself in Tom's shoes [...] a young person, vulnerable with their mental health, but intelligent and curious. "And I did what I think we would do if we're looking to buy something online - just started searching.' Twisted enablers He was stunned by how easy it was to stumble on forums offering 'help' to suicidal people - only they weren't offering help to recover, they were helping people to kill themselves. The dad found how-to manuals, adverts from users looking for partners to join them in suicide pact and post celebrating so-called 'success stories' of suicides. Anyone recommending support services was banned from the site. Spending time on the site took its toll on grieving David: 'I'd just lost my son. I wasn't necessarily in the best place myself. And that really made me very aware of the dangers of these places, being pretty vulnerable at the time myself.' He has since discovered that Tom started a forum post when he took the substance. 15 David ended up reaching out to Times journalist James Beal after the police's investigation failed to look beyond the immediate circumstances of his son's death Credit: Wonderhood 15 Tom started a post on the forum when he took the substance which was shortly filled with congratulatory messages Credit: Supplied 15 Despite its toxicity, the poison is legal to purchase online Credit: Channel 4 Heartbreaking scenes in the documentary show the dad reading through the comments his son posted as he died. 'What this substance actually does is horrific,' David says in the series. 'The poison suffocates the body from the inside. I know Tom would've died in agony. And yet nobody calls an ambulance. Nobody tries to find him. Nobody asks the question, 'Where are you? What can we do?' It's all congratulatory messages.' Having seen for himself how easy it was to source the poison - and how the forum promoted its use - David says he urged the police to act. But he says this 'came to nothing' - as the substance is legal to buy, sell and export. Fearful that many more could die like Tom, David contacted Times reporter James Beal. The journalist went undercover to request a phone consultation with Law, in which the seller boasted that 'many' of his customers had died. I'm sitting here talking nearly four years after Tom died... everything I've described you could still do today David He also admitted he'd sent 'hundreds' of packages to the UK. A week after Law was exposed in The Times, he was arrested. He is now awaiting trial in Canada next year, facing a total of 14 first-degree murder charges and 14 counts of aiding and counselling suicide. His lawyer has said he will be pleading not guilty. Present threat While Law's arrest came as a 'tremendous relief' to Tom's family, David says there is still 'a long way to go' to crack down on the substance and the sites that promote suicide. 'I'm sitting here talking nearly four years after Tom died, and I can tell you that everything I've described you could still do today,' he says. 'The scary thing is that there are other people still supplying exactly the same poison. There are other poisons being supplied through communities like this as well.' 15 James Beal's investigation revealed that "hundreds" had bought from him in the UK alone Credit: Supplied 15 Law's eventual arrest came as a relief to Tom's family Credit: Supplied 15 David is demanding a crackdown on forums and websites like the one his son used Credit: Supplied He is calling for tighter regulations on pro-suicide forums - and wants the Home Office to increase scrutiny on substances imported from abroad, adding: 'It's relatively easy to do and yet we're not doing it - and yet the cost of not doing it is in lives.' David is also hopeful that the C4 documentary, out on Wednesday, will help those who are supporting a loved-one through mental health difficulties. 'If you know somebody who's really struggling, please don't be as naive as I was and think that, 'They won't [take their life],' he adds. 'Please, please put together safety plans with people who you think are potentially thinking of ending their own life. And please recognise the harm some of these internet sites are horrible dark places that do a lot of harm to people's mental health.' Poisoned: Killer in the Post, airing on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th July at 9pm on Channel 4. The Thomas William Parfett Foundation offers information on online safety for young people: .For urgent support, contact the Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
My son died in agony in Premier Inn after buying poison from sick suicide site…grief drove me to hunt down evil seller
SCROLLING through a string of deeply disturbing online posts, David Parfett was horrified. Dozens of desperate users were openly discussing suicide - sharing not just their intentions, but graphic, step-by-step methods. 15 Tom Parfett died by suicide after purchasing poison recommended by a suicide forum Credit: Supplied 15 Tom's father, David, embarked on a journey to track down how his son had fallen into this rabbit hole Credit: Times Media Ltd 15 Eventually the seller of the poison was traced to Canadian chef Kenneth Law Credit: Peel Regional Police/PA Wire Even more chilling were the replies. Instead of offering help or directing them to support services, other users cheered them on, offered praise and gave practical advice on how to end their lives. As David read on, one specific substance was mentioned again and again - a It was the chemical his 22-year-old son Tom had used just months earlier, after being drawn into this same dark corner of the internet. With just a few clicks, David found himself on a website where he was able to order a lethal dose of the substance - which The Sun is not naming - for £50. Read More Features 'It arrived a few days later - I found myself with a packet of the poison I knew my son had used,' David, 56, tells The Sun. 'I couldn't believe what I was seeing. 'It was clear that there were people who were selling these poisons and other methods on the site as well. 'It was quite obvious to me how Tom was able to get it - and that there's people out there who are posting this poison to vulnerable people, facilitated by internet forums like this one. Most read in The Sun 'It was blindingly obvious that there's a bigger problem here.' Determined to protect others from suffering the tragic fate of his son - and with police 'uninterested' in probing the sites David had found, the dad turned to journalist James Beal. My son died in agony in Premier Inn after buying poison from sick suicide site…I was so distraught I hunted down seller That call triggered an investigation that unmasked chef So far, 131 deaths have been linked to Law's products - with at least 97 in the UK and Law is currently in jail, awaiting trial. Canadian police say he sent 1,209 packages to 41 countries. Now, a new Channel 4 series, Poisoned: Killer in the Post, explores the case and the scale of devastation left in its wake. Childhood struggles The two-part documentary follows David and 'This is a man that knew what he was doing,' David, a data director from Twickenham, south-west London, says. 'Just because he was posting the means [for people] to kill themselves rather than applying it in person doesn't make it any less of a murder case, in my opinion. 15 David remembers his son Tom as a high achiever with a dry sense of humour Credit: Supplied 15 Struggles with academic pressure led to a decline in Tom's mental health Credit: x/davidgparfett 15 David felt as if Tom wasn't getting the mental health support he needed while studying at university Credit: Times Media Ltd 'The scale of loss is astonishing.' David remembers A gifted student, he excelled at maths and got 'almost perfect GCSEs' - but this 'came at a cost,' as Tom, who was autistic and had ADHD, struggled with academic pressure. He developed severe anxiety which led him to taking some time out of school, and his mental health declined sharply when he was 19, after a fellow sixth-form student died by suicide. 'I think that was the starting place of actually Tom contemplating doing the same himself,' David says. 'He started openly discussing an idea about ending his own life.' While Tom, who went on to study at the University of St Andrews, was engaged with mental health services, he 'was not getting the support he felt he should get,' David says. There was a knock on the door about five o'clock in the morning... I think at that moment I knew what had happened David In the weeks leading up to his death, Tom - whose parents are not together - had been staying with his mum. On the day of his death he had said that he was checking into a mental health support facility. David says: 'He was telling us quite a positive story of [...how] he was hopeful that they'd be able to help him. Obviously that clearly wasn't what was on his mind.' Lonely death Learning of Tom's death was 'every parent's nightmare,' he says. 'There was a knock on the door about five o'clock in the morning [...] and there was a police car outside. I think at that moment I knew what had happened,' he recalls. 'I felt really sorry for the [two] young policemen standing there, shaking and clearly quite agitated. '[I] was saying, 'Is it Tom? Has he killed himself?'' 15 David put himself in Tom's shoes and was shocked at how easily he was able to find the poison for sale online Credit: Supplied 15 Tom secretly checked into a hotel to administer himself the substance Credit: Supplied 15 The stunned dad found that these online forums promised to "help" people with suicidal thoughts - but were in fact filled with people encouraging each other to take their own lives Credit: Channel 4 The police explained that Tom had been found in a Premier Inn in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, with the deadly substance. Not wanting others to be harmed, he had stuck a note to his door warning that there was poison inside, which prompted an evacuation of the hotel. In the aftermath of Tom's death, David says he went into 'emergency mode,' arranging his funeral, dealing with the coroner's office and alerting his friends to the tragedy. 'You're just in shock,' he says. 'It was only when that shock started to abate that I became curious about understanding what had happened.' David felt that the 'Tom lived a lot of his life online,' David explains. 'I think it's only natural these days if you've grown up using the internet, you'd turn to the internet if you wanted to find a group of like-minded people that could help you understand your own feelings.' The poison suffocates the body from the inside. I know Tom would've died in agony David He continues: 'So, not long after his death, I sat down and almost put myself in Tom's shoes [...] a young person, vulnerable with their mental health, but intelligent and curious. "And I did what I think we would do if we're looking to buy something online - just started searching.' Twisted enablers He was stunned by how easy it was to stumble on forums offering 'help' to suicidal people - only they weren't offering help to recover, they were helping people to kill themselves. The dad found how-to manuals, adverts from users looking for partners to join them in suicide pact and post celebrating so-called 'success stories' of suicides. Anyone recommending support services was banned from the site. Spending time on the site took its toll on grieving David: 'I'd just lost my son. I wasn't necessarily in the best place myself. And that really made me very aware of the dangers of these places, being pretty vulnerable at the time myself.' He has since discovered that Tom started a forum post when he took the substance. 15 David ended up reaching out to Times journalist James Beal after the police's investigation failed to look beyond the immediate circumstances of his son's death Credit: Wonderhood 15 Tom started a post on the forum when he took the substance which was shortly filled with congratulatory messages Credit: Supplied 15 Despite its toxicity, the poison is legal to purchase online Credit: Channel 4 Heartbreaking scenes in the documentary show the dad reading through the comments his son posted as he died. 'What this substance actually does is horrific,' David says in the series. 'The poison suffocates the body from the inside. I know Tom would've died in agony. And yet nobody calls an ambulance. Nobody tries to find him. Nobody asks the question, 'Where are you? What can we do?' It's all congratulatory messages.' Having seen for himself how easy it was to source the poison - and how the forum promoted its use - David says he urged the police to act. But he says this 'came to nothing' - as the substance is legal to buy, sell and export. Fearful that The journalist went undercover to request a phone consultation with Law, in which the seller boasted that 'many' of his customers had died. I'm sitting here talking nearly four years after Tom died... everything I've described you could still do today David He also admitted he'd sent 'hundreds' of packages to the UK. A week after Law was exposed in The Times, he was arrested. He is now awaiting trial in Canada next year, facing a total of 14 first-degree murder charges and 14 counts of aiding and counselling suicide. His lawyer has said he will be pleading not guilty. Present threat While Law's arrest came as a 'tremendous relief' to Tom's family, David says there is still 'a long way to go' to crack down on the substance and the sites that promote suicide. 'I'm sitting here talking nearly four years after Tom died, and I can tell you that everything I've described you could still do today,' he says. 'The scary thing is that there are other people still supplying exactly the same poison. There are other poisons being supplied through communities like this as well.' 15 James Beal's investigation revealed that "hundreds" had bought from him in the UK alone Credit: Supplied 15 Law's eventual arrest came as a relief to Tom's family Credit: Supplied 15 David is demanding a crackdown on forums and websites like the one his son used Credit: Supplied He is calling for tighter regulations on pro-suicide forums - and wants the Home Office to increase scrutiny on substances imported from abroad, adding: 'It's relatively easy to do and yet we're not doing it - and yet the cost of not doing it is in lives.' David is also hopeful that the C4 documentary, out on Wednesday, will help those who are supporting a loved-one through mental health difficulties. 'If you know somebody who's really struggling, please don't be as naive as I was and think that, 'They won't [take their life],' he adds. 'Please, please put together safety plans with people who you think are potentially thinking of ending their own life. And please recognise the harm some of these internet sites are horrible dark places that do a lot of harm to people's mental health.' Poisoned: Killer in the Post, airing on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th July at 9pm on Channel 4. The Thomas William Parfett Foundation offers information on online safety for young people: . For urgent support, contact the Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123.
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Unholy' row breaks out between Charles' vicar and choirmaster with King asked to broker peace deal
The bitter fallout has been likened to an episode of 'The Vicar of Dibley' KEEP PSALM AND CARRY ON KEEP PSALM AND CARRY ON 'Unholy' row breaks out between Charles' vicar and choirmaster with King asked to broker peace deal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE King has been asked to mediate a row at his local church between the vicar and choirmaster. The bitter argument is said to be over the future of the choir at the Sandringham landmark. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 King Charles has been asked to intervene in a row at a church in Sandringham Credit: Getty 4 The row is said to be over the future of the choir at the parish church of St Mary Magdalene Credit: Alan Keith Beastall Rev Canon Paul Williams, the Domestic Chaplain to the King, is said to want to modernise — including getting a social media account for the choir at St Mary Magdalene Church. But director of music Dr Claire Stewart is said to have responded to a report into her role with a 28-page grievance dossier. King Charles, who worships at the church near his Norfolk estate, has been made aware of the row. Several weeks ago, he made a point of staying behind after a service to chat to parishioners. The Bishop of Norwich is said to have been inundated with letters over the simmering row. This month, local councillor Lord Greville Howard, Baron Greville of Rising, held a meeting with church leaders in a bid to sort out the mess. Meanwhile, numbers in the 'tight knit' choir at Sunday services and practices have dwindled. A source said yesterday: 'It feels like an episode of Vicar of Dibley. 'But it's turning into an unholy row and it's starting to get very bitter and damaging. 'It is overshadowing what should be a harmonious parish church on the King's royal estate and heads need to be banged together.' End of an era as King Charles AXES royal train after 150 years as cost of keeping iconic vehicle going hits £1.2m a year Another source said: 'The King has been made aware that there is an issue between the vicar and choirmaster.' Dr Stewart has been director of music at the church for 12 years. Parishioners say she is 'hugely adored' and has been put under a lot of pressure. Rev Williams joined in 2023 after moving from Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucs. 4 Rev Canon Paul Williams, the Domestic Chaplain to the King, is said to want to modernise the church's choir Credit: Times Media Ltd
