Merseyside Police Detective Paul David Fletcher recently pleaded guilty to six counts involving conspiracy to supply anabolic steroids. Several members of the Fletcher family were also involved in the steroid dealing business. His son Paul Michael Fletcher pleaded guilty to six steroid charges. His nephew shot-putter Carl Fletcher had previously pleaded guilty to possession of steroids with intent to supply back in March 2011.
Anabolic steroids are categorized as a Class C drug in the United Kingdom. Steroid possession in England is legal but selling steroids is a relatively serious crime.
Detective Fletcher and his son admitting selling various steroids to members of local law enforcement. Both father and son sold anabolic steroids to police officer Sergeant Paul Hornby of the St. Helens Basic Command Unit of the Merseyside Police Authority. Hornby was also busted for steroid possession. In addition, Fletcher’s son sold steroids on five occasions to an undercover St. Helens police officer.
The use of steroids by cops in the United Kingdom, much like the United States, often results in hysteria over the alleged connection between anabolic steroids and “roid rage”. In this case, Fletcher’s steroid crimes were overshadowed by his admission of corruption and misconduct as a law enforcement officer.
The three charges of “misconduct in a public office” are treated as much more serious than the steroid charges. The charges included providing details of police tactics and operations to a known criminal, revealing how a criminal obtained a lenient sentence as a police informer and accessing and disseminating confidential police intelligence.
All co-defendants in the case are scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2011.
Source:
St. Helens Star. (October 21, 2011). St Helens detective Paul Fletcher supplied steriods and passed on secret intelligence. Retrieved from http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk
