liquid went on trial yesterday in Supreme Court.

David Anthony Brangman, 30, of Warwick, has pleaded innocent to charges of importation and possession of a canister of Chemical Shield -- a chemical warfare agent.

He also denies charges of using it to assault two Policemen, offensive behaviour and resisting arrest.

Brangman was given 24 hours by Chief Justice the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward to hire a lawyer after Mr. Michael Scott applied on Monday to abandon the case because he had not been paid. But yesterday morning Mr. Scott applied to be retained as defence counsel and the trial went ahead.

In his opening speech to the jury, Crown Counsel Mr. Khamisi Tokumbo highlighted the racial element of the trial.

"The incident occurred between Brangman, a young black man, and two white males, on duty Police officers, while patrolling,'' Mr. Tokumbo said.

The two officers, P.c. James Walters and P.c. James Outerbridge, gave evidence yesterday.

They said they spotted a man using a public telephone outside Lines Grocery on Ord Road as they were patrolling the area in a Police car.

P.c. Walters said he asked the man his name to check whether he had an outstanding warrant.

Brangman, who complied at first, quickly became verbally abusive, hurling racial insults and profanities, P.c. Walters said.

"He was very loud in his protestations and was using offensive language. He said: `This is my country. I don't like you bastards. You're from England aren't you? I hate white people.'' But in a Police statement, Brangman claimed it was the officers who insulted him.

Arrested soon after the incident, Brangman claimed in his statement that he acted in self-defence.

The officers, he said, attempted to choke him with night sticks after threatening to beat him up.

In a statement read by Det. Con. Terence Maxwell, Brangman wrote he was talking on the telephone to a woman when the officers approached him in a Police car.

After addressing him rudely, Outerbridge accused him of being a drug dealer and pushed him toward the phone, Brangman claimed.

"Using long black torches (they) said, `We'll beat your black ass. You dirty black bastard - we want to clear the streets of trash like you'.'' "I pulled out my can of Baygon and walked up the road laughing,'' Brangman wrote in his statement. "They had no right to stop me,'' But both officers denied they were carrying truncheons at the time of the incident. They also denied threatening Brangman or making racial insults.

In his testimony, P.c. Walters said it was normal practice to carry out warrant checks in the area frequented by drug dealers.

"I explained to him we only wanted to carry out a check and then he was free to go on his way,'' he said. "He continued with his offensive behaviour in a very loud voice.'' After warning Brangman to stop, the officers attempted to arrest him.

"Suddenly, I felt a jet of cold liquid hit me in the left eye from Brangman's right hand,'' P.c. Walters said.

"The spray was then directed all over my face. I released my grip of Brangman's arm and fell to the floor clutching my face. My eyes watered profusely and I was struggling for breath. Water was coming from my mouth and nose. I was completely incapacitated. I was not able to see.''