David Bieber - Trial

Trial

The trial was held at Newcastle Crown Court and ended on December 2, 2004. Bieber denied murder, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of 200 9 mm pistol rounds found in a storage shed. Bieber admitted possession of 298 9mm rounds, found when arrested, without a firearms certificate.

The prosecution presented evidence from witnesses, identification of Bieber's voice and DNA evidence.

Bieber's defence was that it was his friend who looked like him, also from Florida, that committed the offences and had asked him to look after the murder weapon. Bieber said he could not name this friend for fear of reprisals.

Bieber was convicted on one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

The judge, Mr Justice Moses, told Bieber he had shown "no remorse or understanding of the brutality" of his crime, and the aggravating feature in the case was that Bieber did not need to shoot Broadhurst through the head, noting:

"You had already disabled him and he was defenceless. You could have escaped then but you chose to wait and fire a second shot at point blank range. To shoot and kill an officer in such circumstances, doing no more than trying to serve us all, is an attack on all of us. It must be acknowledged that he might have died as a result of your first shot, but you made certain of his death."

Bieber was given three life sentences. The judge recommended that Bieber should never be released, making him only the 25th person in British legal history to be recommended for lifelong imprisonment. It was the first time such a recommendation had been made since the Home Secretary lost his power to set minimum terms.

Should he be released, the State of Florida, where he faces charges relating to the murder of Markus Mueller and the attempted murder of former girlfriend Michelle Marsh in 1995, has said it would seek his extradition, though he could not face the death penalty due to extradition treaties.