Image copyright Cumberland County Sheriff"s Department Image caption Sidney Kilmartin faces the possibility of life in prison

A US man has been convicted of posting cyanide to a suicidal man in England, leading to his death.

Sidney Kilmartin, 54, mailed a substance he said was cyanide - but which was actually Epsom salts - to several suicidal people, police said.

But he sent the real thing to 49-year-old Andrew Denton, of Hull, who used it to kill himself at his home in December 2012.

Prosecutors said Kilmartin wanted to stop Mr Denton reporting the fraud.

A federal jury found him guilty on Tuesday of mailing injurious articles resulting in death and witness tampering.

Image copyright PA Image caption Kilmartin obtained the cyanide by posing as a jeweller. File photo

Kilmartin, formerly of Windham, Maine, had earlier pleaded guilty to mail fraud and wire fraud, but denied the more serious charges.

He was found not guilty of witness retaliation.

Kilmartin faces the possibility of life in prison.

The trial, which began on 3 October, heard Kilmartin would present himself to suicidal people as an "angel of mercy".

In his opening statement, Assistant US Attorney Halsey Frank, prosecuting, said: "Sidney Kilmartin targeted vulnerable people who were depressed to the point of suicide to take advantage of.

"When Andrew Denton had the audacity to complain that Mr Kilmartin had defrauded and taken advantage of him, Mr Kilmartin killed him."

A court affidavit said Kilmartin obtained the cyanide by posing as a jeweller to persuade a California distributor to ship him 100g of the chemical for $127.56.