At least 13 internet users took part, dipping in and out of the conversation as Vedas, aka “Ripper”, boasted of the drugs that he would take.

At first his anonymous companions did not believe Ripper’s bravado. For 47 minutes he tapped away on his computer in front of a webcam, his typing becoming ever more erratic, his language ever more extreme, as the lethal cocktail kicked in.

It took another hour before all those online realised that he was dead, and that they might have played a part.

Ripper begins at 4.02am, claiming: “I got a grip of drugs.”

Someone called “Grphish” goads him: “Show us, Ripper.”

For the next two minutes Ripper spells out the drugs he has to hand, holding up a bottle of capsules, the content of which are not clear.

Grphish says: “Take one capsule,” then adds immediately: “Take a thousand.”

At 4.06 Ripper tells his captive audience: “Tonight is a good night fellas.”

One of the group, “Phalaris”, admits to attempting suicide in 1984 while others encourage Ripper by telling him that he is “a gangster”.

It is at 4.13 that some of the group begin to have their first misgivings, asking him questions such as “You sure your judgment isn’t impaired?” or “You’re not going to overdose, are you?” One warns him to get to a hospital within an hour. Phalaris snaps: “Damn if you die, you f****** b******, I’m going to feel so bad”.

A minute later one asks if anyone knows Ripper’s address, and his true identity and suggests: “Someone call the paramedics on him.”

Ripper says he is having a wonderful evening. “This is usual weekend behaviour . . . U all said I was lying.”

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