After two days of legal arguments, questions of competence, accuracy and responsibility yesterday dominated the drugs trial of an ex-Police officer who allegedly received a package containing over $42,000 worth of cannabis.

Michael (Tricks) Richardson of Northlands Lane, Pembroke denies possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Richardson insists he was just delivering a package from a Federal Express van to a George Spencer.

He said Spencer was supposed to pay him $500 for delivering the package.

Spencer called him at home on July 6 last year, Richardson said, and told him to meet the Federal Express van at Trimingham Hill in Paget.

But when he went there he did not meet anyone.

He said he received a phone call from Spencer the next day telling him to meet the deliveryman on Cheriton Lane in Pembroke.

And yesterday Richardson's lawyer Mr. Archibald Warner questioned the competence, memory and leadership ability of the officer in charge of the case, Det. Sgt. Stevie Lightbourne.

Mr. Warner pointed out that Det. Sgt. Lightbourne had to refer to his notes to recall certain facts even though he had ample time to go over them as he was waiting to testify.

"You had to refer to your notebook,'' Mr Warner told the officer, "Your memory is not that good is it?'' "Did you make any note of the defendant allegedly saying that he thought that there was ganja in the package, or that Mr. Spencer allegedly deals coke and dope?'' "No. I did not,'' said Det. Sgt. Lightbourne. "I wrote it down afterwards while it was fresh in my memory.'' But Mr. Warner pointed out that Det. Sgt. Lightbourne had written in his statement two different licence plate numbers for the motorcycle Richardson was allegedly riding.

He also noted that Det. Sgt Lightbourne was involved in raiding and searching Postmaster General Clevelyn Crichlow's home in July last year even though Police had established that they were at the wrong residence.

"We are bound to make mistakes,'' Det. Sgt. Lightbourne conceded.

Mr. Warner attempted to submit a photocopy of a Royal Gazette article describing the raid.

But before he could refer to it he was chastised by Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr.

Justice Ward.

"I am not interested in any of their news reports,'' said Mr. Justice Ward.

"I have already instructed the jury not to read the court reports in the paper or listen to the news on the radio or watch it on television.

"The only evidence they will use in this trial is evidence reported in this court.

"If people are foolish enough to read it ( The Royal Gazette ), that is well and good for them. But I don't regard it as responsible.''