A reporter from the Lancashire Evening Post went undercover to find out more about a man allegedly offering help to anyone who "needed assistance in committing suicide".

Her investigation led to the three-day trial of a man on charges of attempting to help a person to commit or attempt to commit suicide.

Journalist Stefanie Hall made contact with Gary Howes via an internet chatroom and posed as two depressed teenagers after being contacted by a concerned reader.

Howes had allegedly posted a message which read: "If anyone in the UK needs assistance in committing suicide then contact me and I will be only to happy to help."

Stefanie had been investigating easily-accessible advice on possible suicide methods in February 2005 as part of the Evening Post's Stop the Peddlers of Death campaign.

The initiative aimed to encourage internet service providers to take responsibility for content on websites and close 'suicide chatrooms'.

But after receiving a number of e-mails she decided to contact the police and hand over her findings.

She also gave evidence at Howes' trial at Preston Crown Court this week, where the 44-year-old, of Chesham, Bucks, was cleared of three charges of attempting to help a person to commit or attempt to commit suicide.

The judge ruled Gary Howes had no case to answer, adding the evidence was not sufficient in law for his trial to continue.

He had denied the charges and claimed he had been indulging in fantasy and had no intention of counselling anybody to commit or attempt suicide.

As part of her investigation Stefanie set up two fake e-mail accounts, posing as a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.

She told HoldtheFrontPage: "I e-mailed him from each account and within a few hours there was an e-mail back to each one asking when they could meet and assuring the youngsters that the method was painless.

"A few further e-mails were received in each account."

There were requests to meet up and the girl was asked for her phone number.

Stefanie added: "I gave a work mobile number and received a text which said 'when can we talk'."

After becoming concerned, Stefanie passed the details of the investigation to the police.

She said: "I was understandably disappointed by the judge's verdict but at least it has highlighted how the law in this area is dated. The Suicide Act was introduced in 1961 when the internet was not around."

---

E-mail this story to a friend:
Your name................
Your friend's e-mail..

---

Back to the campaigns index

---

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or e-mail patrick.astill@and.co.uk