A man accused of taking part in an attack that left another man maimed has told a court a Police officer hit him with a phone book while he was in custody.

Akono Shakir Parsons, 24, said the officer ? whose name he could not recall ? beat him all over with a Bermuda telephone directory.

The defendant claimed he was handcuffed at the time and said the incident happened in a field in the Prospect area, after he was arrested in connection with injuries suffered by Kuma Smith.

When his lawyer Rick Woolridge asked the defendant who had beaten him, Parsons said he did not remember the officer?s name.

He added that the man was a ?sizeable white guy? and claimed two detectives were present at the time. He said he had told Police to ?take it easy?.

Asked if he reported what happened to him, the defendant said he told his lawyer.

The claim came in the trial of Parsons and Harron Lee Powell Evans, which yesterday entered its fourth week.

The pair are alleged to have caused grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr. Smith in Deepdale, Pembroke, on January 5, 2005.

They both deny the charge.

The Crown?s case is that an assault with a machete and hoe left Mr. Smith, 30, with a cut to his left arm so deep that it fractured one of the bones in his forearm. He also lost a finger.

Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney, referring to Parson?s beating allegation, yesterday accused the defendant of ?lying through your teeth?.

Mr. Mahoney asked why no questions about the alleged beating in custody were put to the detective who conducted the interview when he gave evidence earlier in the trial.

Parsons said he did not know why, and told the jury that he relayed the information to his former lawyer, Peter Farge, and assumed it had been passed on to Mr. Woolridge.

Parsons made the claim about the phone book after Mr. Mahoney raised what he said were differences in evidence the defendant gave in court and information contained in his Police statement.

The defendant later denied Mr. Mahoney?s claim that he, along with Evans, had pursued Mr. Smith and then Parsons had chopped the complainant?s arm and head with a machete. Parsons said that nobody had chased after Mr. Smith.

After Parson?s left the stand yesterday morning, closing speeches to the jury started.

The prosecution concluded its case yesterday afternoon and Victoria Pearman, for Evans, will continue her final speech to the jury today.

Mr. Woolridge and then trial judge, Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller will address the eleven-member panel, which is expected to begin its deliberations tomorrow.

In addition to the charge of GBH, Parsons and Evans, 31, are accused of causing damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

Parsons is accused of common assault. They deny all the charges.

The trial continues.