accused a controversial narcotics officer of lying.

Shejuan Swan, 26, of Spice Hill, made the claim during the first day of his Magistrates' Court trial.

Det. Con. Rudy Richardson -- at the centre of allegations by a woman ex-detective that she was pressured to alter her witness statement forms in the Supreme Court drugs trial of Ellsworth Wilson -- gave evidence as the prosecution's first witness.

Det. Con. Richardson testified that he and Det. Sgt. Ken Savoury were on mobile patrol on February 6 when they received a call concerning drug selling on Court Street, near Spinning Wheel Nightclub.

Upon arrival Det. Con. Richardson said he witnessed four men, including Swan, standing on the sidewalk outside Spinning Wheel. And he said once Swan saw them he walked into the club.

The narcotics officer said he and Det. Sgt. Savoury followed Swan into the club and approached him as he started to sit at the bar.

Det. Con. Richardson said he told Swan he was being searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act then started to escort him out of the nightclub when Swan dropped a brown paper twist.

The officer said the brown twist fell near Swan's feet and he retrieved it as Det. Sgt. Savoury held Swan.

Upon picking up the twist, Det. Con. Richardson said he opened it and found it contained several other twist. He added that he opened one in front of Swan and found it contained a rock-like substance. When he asked Swan "what is this?'', he said Swan made no reply. Swan was placed in the Police car and taken to Hamilton Police Station where he was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Det. Con. Richardson said Swan was placed in an interview room where he was searched. A total of $250 in cash was found on him. And the twist was found to contain 16 crack rocks which were later analysed and found to be 2.81 grams of crack cocaine with a purity of 83 percent and a total street value of $800.

Det. Con. Richardson also testified that Swan made few replies during an interview under caution on February 7.

Swan, who was not represented , began giving testimony when he was supposed to have been cross examining Det. Con. Richardson. "I was sitting on a bike when I started to walk into the club and they grabbed me...,'' he said.

Magistrate Arthur Hodgson told Swan he was not allowed to give testimony, only ask questions of the witness.

But Swan protested saying if he asked Det. Con. Richardson what happened on the night in question, the officer would "stick to his story''. And Swan insisted Det. Con. Richardson's story was a lie.

Swan then sat down in his seat and said in a low voice he had no more questions.

Swan later suggested to Det. Sgt. Savoury that he told Richardson, while in Spinning Wheel, the brown paper twist did not belong to Swan but to another man who ran out of the club past the officers. But Det. Sgt. Savoury, who recounted the events of February 6 and 7 as Det. Con. Richardson had, denied this.

Det. Sgt. Savoury also denied Swan's claim that the drugs were not found by his feet, but just inside the entrance to the club.

He maintained that the drugs were on the floor, well inside the club near Swan's feet.

Mr. Hodgson adjourned the case until September 23. The Crown is represented by Nita Grewal.