offered no evidence in his marathon Supreme Court trial.

Co-accused 49-year-old Varnel Curtis and Cecil Durham, 56, also declined to give testimony.

Only the third co-accused, 61-year-old Milton Woods -- a former Policeman -- took the witness stand on a day the defence finished giving evidence.

He told the court he had been asked by his son to be a major shareholder for a short while in Twin Bays Ltd. -- a front for Todd, according to the Crown.

But he said he had no idea what business Twin Bays was involved in, despite signing numerous documents.

"I trusted my son,'' he said.

Unemployed Todd, 57, of Pearman's Hill, Warwick, faces 17 charges of theft, fraud, and false accounting, allegedly committed between 1985 and 1990.

The Crown claims he used his position as a senior Bank of Bermuda loans officer to submit bogus loan applications and created a network of companies to further his schemes.

Facing charges relating to the allegations against Todd are importer Curtis, of St. Anne's Drive, Southampton; former hotel security chief Woods, 61, of Old Road, Southampton and businessman Durham, 56, of Ramgoat Hill, Smith's Parish.

The four deny the allegations, which involve around $1.2 million.

Yesterday, Mr. Justice Ground said one allegation against Curtis of participating in false accounting had been withdrawn.

He added a similar charge against Woods had been dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

Next week, prosecution and defence lawyers will give final submissions to the jury.

Puisne Judge Richard Ground is not expected to begin his summing up until Friday or the following week.

The court heard the trial could run into time problems because one juror will be absent in early November.

Called to the witness stand by his lawyer Richard Hector, father-of-three Woods said he was last employed as a concierge at Cambridge Beaches, but was currently jobless.

He also revealed he had been a cricketer in England and played in Cup Matches.

In addition, he had been a Policeman, reaching the rank of sergeant, and had worked at Agape House.

Woods went on to say his son -- then working at the Bank of Bermuda -- had wanted to incorporate a company and asked him whether he would be a major shareholder for a short time.

He said his son told him he would have to go to lawyer Charles Vaucrosson's offices to sign a number of documents with respect to the incorporation.

Woods claimed he was never asked to examine any of the documents.

And he said he had never gone to the Bank of Bermuda to negotiate any loan for Twin Bays.

Asked by Mr. Hector about his record, Woods said he had no previous convictions.

Witness gives evidence k Counsel Michael Pert, QC, Woods said he had no idea what business Twin Bays was involved in, despite signing numerous documents.

He said he had been repeatedly assured by his son that Twin Bays was on the "up and up'' -- and that was good enough for him.

Woods testified he had signed a host of "blank'' documents and was not aware of the contents of them.

One of the documents was a transfer of half of Twin Bays' shares to Arnest Ltd. -- claimed by the Crown to be a vehicle for Todd's activities. And another made Woods a signatory to cheques.

Mr. Pert put it to Woods: "I suggest to you that you knew far more of what you were getting yourself into and knew full well what you were signing.'' He also suggested Woods knew one of the documents was an application to the Bank of Bermuda for a $300,000 overdraft for the "spurious'' Twin Bays.

Woods said his son introduced him to Todd although he had known of the former bank chief through playing soccer. But he added he never saw Todd at the Bank of Bermuda and did not recall ever going to his house or having any dealings with Todd in connection with property.

Questioned about Twin Bays, Woods said his son, who did not want the Bank of Bermuda to know about his business, asked him to be a major shareholder for six to eight months.

Woods said his son never explained to him where the money to fund the business was coming from.

"Your experience in life must have made you wonder what the business was about,'' Mr. Pert suggested.

Woods replied: "I trusted my son.'' He went on to testify he had never paid for any shares.