fact they beat him senseless.

Mr. Royston Anthony Place said that he was head butted by a Police officer in the Civil Air Terminal and, later at Hamilton Police Station, an officer broke his nose with a punch.

Mr. Place claims the attack was unprovoked although he admits that he became abusive after undergoing a body search for drugs.

He faces charges of using offensive words, obstructing the Police and assault on a Police officer and a Customs officer at the airport.

But the Crawl Hill 26-year-old claims he was the victim of the assault, and he is to make an official complaint to Police.

Mr. Place said he arrived from Atlanta on Friday and was first off the plane at the Airport. He said: "I was filling out the customs clearance form when they took me into their room. I realised they were looking for drugs because I have been searched before.

"They told me I was going to be searched and I said I had no problem with that. They searched everything I had and then they told me to take off my clothes.'' Mr. Place was then subjected to a body cavity search and the officers found nothing.

He said: "I was thinking that it was all over but then they wanted to take me to hospital to be X-rayed. So they took me into the Airport Police Station.

"I was beginning to get angry. They had found nothing and they still wanted to search me. I did get abusive. I just said that I was getting tired of all this and pointed out that they had found no drugs.

"One of the Police officers head butted me. The next I knew it was 6 o'clock, an hour later.'' Mr. Place claims he was then handcuffed behind his back and taken to Hamilton Police Station.

There, he said, he was "slapped around'' by a Police sergeant, and then punched in the nose. He also claimed an officer laughed at him and said: "Sorry about taking your virginity.'' Mr. Place said that Police officers took him to hospital where he was told he had a broken nose.

He tried to make an official complaint but an Inspector was not available to take the complaint.

Mr. Place said this was the second time he had been searched for drugs since 1984. "I admit that last time I ended up in court for offensive words,'' he said. "I cannot believe they say I assaulted them. How could I? I was handcuffed behind my back. They have just trumped up charges to cover up because they assaulted me.'' Mr. Place's lawyer Mr. Philip Perinchief said he found it amazing that the Police would not let him make an official complaint before letting him go.

Mr. Perinchief said: "They told him that he could not make an official complaint until he was released from custody. That means they could turn round and say he had been assaulted after his release.'' A Police spokesman said: "I can confirm that Mr. Royston Place was taken in Police custody, after a struggle at the Civil Air Terminal on Friday evening following a search by Police Narcotics and Customs Officers.

"Whilst in custody Mr. Place was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and released after treatment.

"A court case is pending and it would be improper for me to discuss the details any further. An official complaint has not been received by Police at this time.''