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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
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2 4 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 4 Suspect tried to buy gun weeks before - court
by Rod Hopkinson
A bodybuilder accused of shooting three police officers - killing one - touted around other weightlifters working as doormen to try and buy a gun only weeks before the murder, a court heard.
American-born David Bieber, 38, who was living in the UK using the alias Nathan Wayne Coleman, even asked one contact if he knew anyone who wanted to buy bullets, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Cyril Canavan, who had worked as a doorman with Bieber at the Deer Park pub in Roundhay, Leeds knew him as 'Nathan,' he said. But he said he had no knowledge of his background apart from him telling him he was from Georgia in the USA and he liked to go to casinos. Mr Canavan revealed 'Nathan' had a chocolate fad - and ate more of the sweet than the average person, he told the jury.
Ex-university student, Simon Hearn, now a serving police officer, told the court he had been a door supervisor while studying and he had worked with Bieber at the Heaven and Hell Club in Leeds City Centre between the year 2000 and 2001. "As far as I remember he told me he was from Florida, around those areas," he said. "He used to talk about weightlifting and gambling on tennis."
Mr Hearn said in December last year, when he had moved on and joined the police, he checked through the West Yorkshire Forces' Self Briefing Data base on December 29 last year and read details about the shooting of his colleagues three days after the incident. He saw a photograph on the system of the wanted man without a moustache and realised he had worked with him in the past, he told the court.
Professional rugby player Ryan McDonald said, in evidence, he had worked as a doorman at Heaven and Hell nightclub about the end of 2001 and came to know the man called 'Nathan' working the door. He told the jury the doorman asked him if he could get a gun for him but he told him he could not. He never said why he wanted the weapon. Inderjit Rall, who worked as a manager for his father, who owned a gym in Leeds, also told the court the bodybuilder had asked him if he could get him a gun.
Mr Rall's father, Gurmit, said he came to know the man who visited his gym only as 'Nathan' to keep fit. "He asked if I could get him a gun or if I knew somebody who could get him a gun," he told the court adding "he asked me twice." Mr Rall said: "I was a bit surprised and looked at him and said 'This is a gym, mate'."
A bodybuilder of 15 years, Kristian Pearson said he met the man he knew as Nathan Coleman five-six years ago and had supplied him with sleeping tablets in the past. He said they had a discussion about a gun and he told him he did not "touch" that anymore but did a long time ago.
Mr Pearson went on to say they then had a conversation about bullets and the man he knew as Nathan Coleman told him he had some bullets. "He asked me if I knew anyone who wanted to buy them but I said 'No'," he said.
Earlier Ex-body builder Christopher Motherby, who used to sell supplements for size and strength to doormen told the court he met a man he knew only as 'Nathan' who tried to buy a gun from him. Mr Motherby said, in evidence, he used to supply vitamins, protein products and other supplements to body builders.
He said Nathan came to his house one day to buy some "run-of-the-mill products". He went on: "We talked about his accent. I initially thought he was Canadian. I knew him because he worked out at the same gym I worked out at Spartan Bodyworks in Barnsley."
He added they frequently met at the gym and they exchanged mobile phone numbers. Robert Smith QC, prosecuting, asked Mr Motherby: "Did he from time to time come to do business?" The witness replied: "Frequently."
Mr Smith then asked: "Did he ever ask you to get anything for him." Mr Motherby answered: "Yes, frequently. One time it was a dodgy tax disc, a dodgy MOT. He also asked me for a gun on several occasions." Mr Motherby then admitted to the jury he had sold Nathan a bullet-proof vest for £100 - and the garment was shown to the court.
Mr Smith then quizzed Mr Motherby whether he had seen him in a particular motor car he had not seen him in before. "I met him in a black BMW car round about late November earlier December. We met at Spartan Bodyworks," he answered. Mr Motherby was asked about a blue Mondeo Nathan had and which he wanted to sell. Mr Motherby told the court Nathan asked him if he wanted to buy it. Mr Smith then asked him what state the Mondeo was in and he replied: "Scrapyard condition."
He added: "There always seemed to be his local Leeds evening newspaper and a copy of the Racing Post inside." Also in his car were little pens, used in bookmakers' shops and blank betting slips.
"He never seemed to throw anything away. He was a bit of a hoarder," said Mr Motherby. He was then asked by Mr Smith what condition his black BMW was in and he replied immaculate."
Mr Motherby said their last transaction for body-building supplements was in November last year when he saw him twice in his BMW car. The defendant, of Springwood Road, Leeds, denies murder and two counts of attempted murder.
He also denies possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of 200 9mm bullet pistol cartridges. He has admitted possessing 298 9mm bullet cartridges without a firearms certificate between December 26 and December 31.
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