Slimming pills that killed student '˜not meant for human consumption', court told

Eloise Parry died in April 2015 after taking tablets containing the poisonous Dinitrophenol (DNP).

Bernard Rebelo, 31, of Gosport, is on trial at Inner London Crown Court, charged with manslaughter over the death of the 21-year-old, from Shrewsbury.

He said he started selling steroids online in 2012 and later switched to DNP because ‘steroids are a class three item but it wasn’t illegal to sell DNP’.

During giving evidence on Wednesday he admitted that he had sold DNP to Miss Parry.

He told the jury that he included a warning on his website that the substance was not for human consumption.

‘It had numerous other uses – photography, fertiliser, pesticide, paint dye,’ he added.

Rebelo is also charged with supplying an unsafe food supplement containing DNP between February 24 2014 and February 24 2016.

He said he did not intend or expect anyone who bought DNP from him to eat it.

His partner, Mary Roberts, 32, also from Gosport, faces one count of money laundering after allegedly transferring £20,000 for and on behalf of Rebelo.

Rebelo denies two counts of manslaughter and one of supplying an unsafe food supplement.

Another defendant had been discharged from the trial earlier this week.

(Proceeding)