News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A bodybuilder died after he drank a weedkiller sold by a gym owner as a fat-burning drug, a jury has been told.

Sean Cleathero was captured on CCTV downing the bright yellow insecticide DNP at his local gym before heading for a workout.

The 28-year-old collapsed at his High Wycombe home less than eight hours later after his temperature rose to 42 degrees Celsius, then suffered a fatal heart attack at hospital.

Gym owner Jamie Chivers, 44, is now on trial for manslaughter for supplying him with the drug.

(Image: CENTRAL NEWS)

Prosecutor John Price QC told the Old Bailey: "DNP has a long history of misuse as what is called a fat-burner, a drug taken to assist in losing weight.

"It is however regarded as unfit for human consumption. DNP still is used as a herbicide and an insecticide and has chemical explosive properties requiring it to be carefully handled.

"The prosecution submit that the toxicity of DNP would have been known within the body-building community.

"Jamie Chivers has been involved in the bodybuilding industry for a long time. If he did not know of the dangers of DNP then we submit as an individual involved in the commercial sale of that substance to members of the public he ought to have known it."

Jurors were told that Chivers has already pleaded guilty to making and supplying anabolic steroids to customers of his Apollo Fitness Gym at Basepoint Business Centre in High Wycombe.

USB data sticks found at his home revealed lists of products sold by his business Precision Labs, including steroids and DNP.

In the days before his death Mr Cleathero had bought tablets marked with a Precision Labs label but complained that he was not losing any weight.

Shortly before noon on October 16 he went to the gym to collect sachets of DNP contained in an envelope left behind the counter by Chivers, it is claimed.

(Image: CENTRAL NEWS)

CCTV footage from the gym showed him collecting the envelope and pouring a sachet into a cup of water.

Mr Price said: "Within minutes of having arrived Sean Cleathero consumed the quantity of DNP powder which by the early evening of that day was to have caused his death."

Mr Cleathero finished his workout and then went back to the home he shared with his grandparents.

But as the toxic effect began to develop, Mr Price said he could not stop sweating and struggled to breathe.

An ambulance was called to the house and he was taken to hospital, but he was moved to intensive care at 6pm and died at 7.26pm.

"He suffered renal failure and his body temperature had risen to 42 degrees Celsius," said Mr Price.

"A postmortem examination found his death was caused by DNP."

Chivers, of Spring Gardens Road, High Wycombe, denies manslaughter. The trial continues.