A boss stopped insurance benefits paid to his lifelong friend just months after a workplace accident had crippled him, a court heard yesterday.

Builder Headley Stephenson admitted ordering the insurance firm to cut payments to carpenter Rennard Russell, who had been his brother-in-law for 27 years.

Mr. Russell, 63, is suing Mr. Stephenson for damages after ending up a paraplegic after falling more than 18 feet while working for Stephenson Construction at the Flying Chef restaurant site in North Street in June 1992.

Lawyer Juliana Jack said the loss of benefits had forced her client to come home early from a rehabilitation course in Canada, which was teaching him how to use a wheelchair. She said: "What possessed you to go after a lifelong friend, a brother in law for 27 years, a permanent paraplegic. Why did you do this?'' Mr. Stephenson said: "I was badly abused, very, very badly abused.'' He said false accusations that he had already cut off the benefits made him eventually actually do so about six months after the accident.

Mrs. Jack said: "We keep hearing about your pain Mr. Stephenson but Mr.

Russell said he was devastated when you did that to him.'' Mrs Jack also said Mr. Stephenson had very recently scribbled out notes from a work log book which covered the day of the accident. Mr. Stephenson said he had done this because they were totally irrelevant.

Mrs. Jack said: "I put it to you that you scribbled out the page not because it was irrelevant but because it was totally relevant.'' Mr. Russell fell while crossing a gap between the job site and Mr. Russell's apartment, which was next door. The plaintiff's allege Mr. Stephenson knew about and took part in the practice when he needed to use the phone, while his workers crossed the gap to use the toilet and fetch drinking water. Sometimes a ladder was put across the four foot gap.

However Mr. Stephenson denied condoning the practice and said Mr. Russell fell from a pipe made slippery by rain.

The court heard that whilst Mr. Russell lay in hospital with a broken back a Health and Safety Officer had twice gone with Mr. Stephenson to say that the accident might have been Mr. Russell's own fault.

Both times Mr. Russell, now of Shelton Road, Pembroke, got upset and nurses had to ask the pair to leave.

The defendant said he didn't recall these visits but he recalled bringing the insurance agent to the hospital to tell Mr. Russell that he had been cut out of the company benefit plan. Stephenson admitted not filing an accident report to the Health and Safety office.

The case continues today.