they conspired to "pervert the course of justice''.

Lawyer Rod Attride-Stirling levelled the accusation this week during the Magistrates' Court trial of former soldier JuVaughan Antoine Sampson.

Sampson, 25, of Southampton, was arrested on January 14 after reporting to the Regiment and informing officers he was a conscientious objector. He was exempted on January 27 by the Defence Department's Exemptions Tribunal which accepted that by virtue of his long-term religious commitment to Rastafarianism, he had been a conscientious objector for a number of years.

But the Regiment, represented by Crown counsel Leighton Rochester, alleged that the offences occurred before Sampson received exemption. They argued that he was still on active duty and therefore obliged to obey orders.

However, during the last day of the trial Mr. Rochester decided to withdraw the charges due to a lack of evidence. He admitted that he had difficulty pursuing the case since the Regiment had not provided him with documents about Sampson's Regiment career and exemption hearing.

Mr. Attride-Stirling claimed the Regiment's commanding officer Lt. Col. David Burch and Capt. Larry Mussenden had deliberately withheld evidence from the Defence Department, the Attorney General's Chambers, and his client.

And Magistrate Arthur Hodgson said it appeared that the senior officers were "determined to have their own way'' in prosecuting Sampson, "even after being reprimanded by the tribunal''.

"One can only stagger at what is happening to these young men in the hands of these officers,'' he added.

Mr. Attride-Stirling stressed the seriousness of the Regiment officers' actions, adding that an English General in the British Army had been relieved of duty for "the same exact thing Capt. Mussenden has done''.

And after hearing that Mr. Rochester was withdrawing charges, he applied for costs to be awarded to his client. The application, if accepted by Mr.

Hodgson, would set a precedent as no defendant cleared of criminal charges has ever been awarded cost in Bermuda's history.

Mr. Hodgson reserved his decision on this, pending a review of the facts.