bought in the 1980's finally got underway yesterday.

Arnold Todd's case had been adjourned earlier in the week because Puisne Judge Richard Ground knew too much about the defendant.

Proceedings were delayed for more than 30 minutes yesterday after Todd's lawyer, Mr. Michael Scott, asked for a further two week adjournment so that he could prepare for the case.

Todd has been charged with failing to pay for a plot of land he bought from Frederick Hendrickson.

Yesterday Mr. Hendrickson, from Flatts Hill, Hamilton Parish, told Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux, how he decided to sell off the Town Hill Road property to Todd after his doctor had told him to "slow down''.

Todd, who was working as a senior loans officer at the Bank of Bermuda at the time, agreed to buy up the land, which had been split into three plots, for $100,000 for each plot.

The two men agreed that Todd would build luxury apartments on each of the three sites and then split the profit once they had been sold.

Mr. Hendrickson also claims that Todd failed to pay for $140,000 worth of tools and building supplies which Mr. Hendrickson had supplied.

According to Mr. Hendrickson's lawyer Kieron Unwin, although Todd had made various payments into his clients account, these only amounted to just $100,000.

Mr. Unwin also told the court that a profit was made when the properties were eventually sold, something that Todd denies.

Giving evidence, Mr. Hendrickson said: "He (Todd) knew much about me as far as my building and what properties I owned and my procedures with the bank.

"I had known Mr. Todd for some time so I was relieved at having a person like him to take over and manage my properties.'' The case continues today.