his Magistrates' Court trial got underway yesterday.

Riley, 21, is accused of possessing the drug and concealing it behind his ear.

He was acquitted of another charge of stealing a motorbike on August 18, 1994, the same day as the other offences are alleged to have occurred.

The Beacon Hill Road, Sandys resident was one of seven local football players who pleaded "no contest'' to drug charges in Miami last year.

P.c. Simon Payne told the court yesterday that at 11 a.m. on August 18 that he spotted Riley acting suspiciously at the rear of Sandys Secondary School.

"I turned the vehicle around and proceeded onto the school field and saw the defendant pushing a motor bike up a steep grass bank,'' P.c. Payne said.

He added: "He was looking back continuously in my direction and he was revving the bike trying to get it up the bank. Riley then disappeared over the hill and I was unable to follow him so I drove onto Scotts Hill Road.'' Asked by prosecutor Sgt. Kenrick James if he knew Riley before the incident P.c. Payne replied: "I did know Riley and I had had dealings with him before.'' P.c. Payne said he went on to Beacon Hill Road and began to make a search of the lanes. He entered Cedarcraft Lane and found a maroon motorcycle which was the same one Riley was pushing earlier.

P.c. Payne said he checked to see of the bike was stolen, discovered it was and seized it. Riley, who had been nearby, walked off, he said.

After taking the bike to Somerset Police Station, he returned to the area and saw Riley standing on Beacon Hill Lane. He informed him that he would be arrested on suspicion of stealing a bike.

"While at the Police station I conducted a search of Riley and found a brown paper twist behind his left ear. When I asked what it was Riley replied `it's heroin'.

"I opened the twist and saw three folded pieces of silver foil and inside them was a powder-like substance,'' P.c. Payne said.

P.c. Payne told Mr. Archie Warner, representing Riley, that he could not remember when he searched Riley before last year.

P.c. David Gillies, who was at Somerset Police Station, told the court that when P.c. Payne asked Riley where he found the twist, he said he got it from the Somerset Cricket Club.