Neil Wilby Media

The shaky mobile phone footage was harrowing. Filmed by his neighbour, Andre Moura can be heard screaming for help, telling the police they are hurting him and begging to speak to his children. He’d been sprayed with CS gas – a shocked eyewitness describes watching a police officer kneeing him several times.

In police body-cam footage of the same incident, PC Chris Bolger is heard telling the warehouse worker he won’t win “this fight” and that the officer would, “put him to sleep”. Soon afterwards the dad of four suffered a massive heart attack in the back of a police van and died

Late last year, the footage was played to an inquest jury tasked with determining how Andre had died. But what the jury weren’t told was that the police officer and keen body builder accused of attacking Andre had been convicted of selling steroids and resigned before he could be sacked by Greater Manchester Police.

Disturbed by the case, nationally-known justice and social campaigner, Gail Hadfield Grainger, sets out to investigate for BBC Radio 4 whether this was an isolated case, or if it could be symptomatic of a wider steroid issue within the UK police service.

With in-depth interviews, Gail explores why some police officers feel they have to take anabolic steroids; if addiction to muscle building substance is putting them at the mercy of criminal dealers; and whether “Roid Rage” could be risking lives by causing some officers to use excessive force in high tension interactions with the public.

Gail also explores whether the drug abuse could be fuelling sexual crime by police officers and speaks to one expert who says he believes, when it comes to anabolic steroids the authorities may have “fallen asleep at the wheel”

She is pictured above with Dave Crosland, a well-recognised steroids and alcohol practitioner whose testimony is often used at inquests, and in criminal courts, as expert evidence.

With a well equipped medical vehicle, he and his partner, both ex-military, visit gyms to deliver harm reduction presentations, take blood samples and advise steroid users on the wider health issues.

Dave also trains police officers and harm reduction workers in the field of performance and image enhancing drugs, as well as providing steroid awareness presentations to the prison service.

The programme aired on BBC Radio 4 on Monday 14th August, 2023.

Presenter: Gail Hadfield-Grainger
Producer: Nicola Dowling

Click here for a BBC Sounds link to the programme.

WARNING: This episode contains disturbing audio from the very start as well as bad language, offensive comments and descriptions of a sexual nature. It also refers to drug taking and dealing.

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Page last updated: Tuesday 15th August, 2023 at 10h25

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Picture credit: BBC Radio 4

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