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Raoul Moat Gym Pal 'Sells Steroids Online'
7:34pm UK, Thursday May 05, 2011
Sky News investigative reporter
One of the best friends of murderer Raoul Moat is trying to sell illegal steroids on Facebook, a Sky News investigation has learned.
Tony Laidler
Bodybuilder Tony Laidler was one of the best friends of gunman Raoul Moat
Tony Laidler, a 36-year-old bodybuilder, nightclub doorman and Nissan car factory worker, tells potential customers that injecting drugs is not painful and advises them to use Google to check for side-effects.
Repeated postings from Laidler stating "Human growth hormone ?150" and "Melantan 2 tanning injections ?25" have appeared on the pages of his more than 770 Facebook friends.
Moat, also a bodybuilder and nightclub doorman, had used steroids for years and had a history of violence and paranoia.
He went on the rampage on Tyneside with a sawn-off shotgun last July, murdering one person and seriously injuring two others before eventually killing himself.
Laidler was a childhood friend of Moat and a pall-bearer at his funeral, and has since been a contributor to the "RIP Raoul Moat" Facebook page.
Laidler's adverts, uncovered in a Sky News investigation, encourage people to contact him directly, but some potential customers have written on his Facebook wall.
Enquiring about Melantan 2, a common misspelling of the unlicensed tanning drug Melanotan II, one woman who runs a beauty salon asked Laidler: "Do they hurt?
"Where do u inject it into n would I need a licence for it in the salon? any side effects?" she wrote.
Laidler replied: "dont hurt, get your body to release its tanning agent, tans in 5 day last 3 months ish," adding: "Google it, it's on google".
In reply to another enquiry from a man in County Durham, Laidler described the quantities on offer as: "Melantan 2 10mg per vil, hgh 100iu".
Human growth hormone is measured in International Units, or IUs, of powder while Melanotan II is typically produced in 10mg vials.
Both drugs are mixed with water and injected by users.
According to the Government's National Drugs Helpline, steroids can make users "aggressive, or even violent and they can experience mood swings. You may find that you start getting paranoid and confused."
In 2008 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency warned that Melanotan II is unlicensed and could have "extremely serious" side effects.
Tony Laidler has worked as a nightclub doorman
The trial last month of two of Moat's accomplices heard that the killer was a steroid user who had become obsessed with his former partner Sam Stobbart and her new boyfriend Chris Brown.
Moat ordered a gun while serving time in Durham jail for assaulting a child, and on his release shot Ms Stobbart and murdered Mr Brown before blinding PC David Rathband and leaving him for dead.
Moat killed himself after a lengthy standoff with armed police in Rothbury - despite Laidler and another friend of Moat being taken there by Northumbria Police to try to talk him out of it.
Since being blinded by Moat, PC Rathband has set up the Blue Lamp Foundation charity to help the families of injured emergency workers.
"I am sure the authorities will prosecute the offences should sufficient evidence come to light."
Sky News has passed its investigation file to Northumbria Police. A police spokesman said: "All offences involving illegal drugs are taken seriously."
7:34pm UK, Thursday May 05, 2011
Sky News investigative reporter
One of the best friends of murderer Raoul Moat is trying to sell illegal steroids on Facebook, a Sky News investigation has learned.
Tony Laidler
Bodybuilder Tony Laidler was one of the best friends of gunman Raoul Moat
Tony Laidler, a 36-year-old bodybuilder, nightclub doorman and Nissan car factory worker, tells potential customers that injecting drugs is not painful and advises them to use Google to check for side-effects.
Repeated postings from Laidler stating "Human growth hormone ?150" and "Melantan 2 tanning injections ?25" have appeared on the pages of his more than 770 Facebook friends.
Moat, also a bodybuilder and nightclub doorman, had used steroids for years and had a history of violence and paranoia.
He went on the rampage on Tyneside with a sawn-off shotgun last July, murdering one person and seriously injuring two others before eventually killing himself.
Laidler was a childhood friend of Moat and a pall-bearer at his funeral, and has since been a contributor to the "RIP Raoul Moat" Facebook page.
Laidler's adverts, uncovered in a Sky News investigation, encourage people to contact him directly, but some potential customers have written on his Facebook wall.
Enquiring about Melantan 2, a common misspelling of the unlicensed tanning drug Melanotan II, one woman who runs a beauty salon asked Laidler: "Do they hurt?
"Where do u inject it into n would I need a licence for it in the salon? any side effects?" she wrote.
Laidler replied: "dont hurt, get your body to release its tanning agent, tans in 5 day last 3 months ish," adding: "Google it, it's on google".
In reply to another enquiry from a man in County Durham, Laidler described the quantities on offer as: "Melantan 2 10mg per vil, hgh 100iu".
Human growth hormone is measured in International Units, or IUs, of powder while Melanotan II is typically produced in 10mg vials.
Both drugs are mixed with water and injected by users.
According to the Government's National Drugs Helpline, steroids can make users "aggressive, or even violent and they can experience mood swings. You may find that you start getting paranoid and confused."
In 2008 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency warned that Melanotan II is unlicensed and could have "extremely serious" side effects.
Tony Laidler has worked as a nightclub doorman
The trial last month of two of Moat's accomplices heard that the killer was a steroid user who had become obsessed with his former partner Sam Stobbart and her new boyfriend Chris Brown.
Moat ordered a gun while serving time in Durham jail for assaulting a child, and on his release shot Ms Stobbart and murdered Mr Brown before blinding PC David Rathband and leaving him for dead.
Moat killed himself after a lengthy standoff with armed police in Rothbury - despite Laidler and another friend of Moat being taken there by Northumbria Police to try to talk him out of it.
Since being blinded by Moat, PC Rathband has set up the Blue Lamp Foundation charity to help the families of injured emergency workers.
"I am sure the authorities will prosecute the offences should sufficient evidence come to light."
Sky News has passed its investigation file to Northumbria Police. A police spokesman said: "All offences involving illegal drugs are taken seriously."