Britain's Independent newspaper the only one not blaming steroids for the Moat murders.

( I find the use of the term "steroid underclass" rather weird )

The steroid underclass.

At the start of the manhunt, much of the explanation for Moat's sudden murderous anger was blamed on his long-term use of steroids – so-called roid-rage. Moat was hardly alone in his steroid abuse. Crime surveys estimate there are 79,000 people taking steroids to help them build muscle, though many experts believe this figure is closer to 250,000, with numbers doubling in the past five years. North-east England has the highest rates of lifetime steroid use, with almost 12 users in every 1,000 people. Many users are unaware the drugs are illegal and the internet has made them available from cheap sources in India and China. Many in the security industry, where Moat worked for much of his life, see a beefed-up body as vital in getting a job.

However, experts question the link to steroid use in Moat's case. They say that, while not impossible, it is unlikely he would have been able to get steroids in prison. Jim McVeigh, of John Moores University, says: "There would certainly be no residual effects from steroids on Moat's personality. When you stop using, the amount of testosterone in your body does not return to a normal level; instead, it dips below what is normal."