SALESMAN William Bates has admitted taking part in a conspiracy involving millions of fake steroids.

Bates, aged 23, of Beaumont Drive, Ladybridge, entered his guilty plea on the day he and two others were due to stand trial at Northampton Crown Court.

Bates, who is self employed, was released on bail for reports. He will be sentenced when the trial of the other men is over.

Bates pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud people who might be induced to buy tablets, manufactured at the premises of Swift Products, Great Cransley, near Kettering, Northants, by pretending they were Pronabol-5, an anabolic steroid.

The offence is alleged to have occurred between May 1, 1999, and December 16, 1999.

Denying the charge are David Sterland, aged 51, a company director, of Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, and Harvey Simpson, aged 37, a factory supervisor, of Desborough, Northants.

The men were arrested on December 15, 1999, by National Crime Squad officers after a raid on farm buildings. Police recovered five million white tablets packaged for sale in blister packs.

During the swoop on the premises of Swift Products, police also found a pill making machine, mixing equipment and a blister pack wrapping machine. The trial of Sterland and Simpson was due to start today and is expected to last until next week.