The trial of a British man accused of possessing heroin began in the Supreme Court yesterday with a jury hearing that drugs were found in his hotel room safe.

David Osadebay, 38, has denied a charge that he possessed diamorphine, commonly known as heroin, with intent to supply on August 4, 2023.

Seth Levine, for the Crown, told the court that Mr Osadebay was a British national who flew to the island on July 31, 2023, and checked into the Royal Palms Hotel under the name “Joshua Webb”.

He added that Mr Osadebay also used the name “David Langston” while on the island.

Mr Levine said that on August 4, the Friday of Cup Match that year, Mr Osadebay was arrested.

During a subsequent search of his hotel room, a number of items were discovered in a safe including a green-and-white bag found to contain “quite poor-quality” heroin.

Mr Levine told the court that during the trial, the jury would hear DNA evidence and evidence that after his arrest, another individual attempted to gain access to Mr Osadebay’s hotel room.

As the trial began yesterday, the court heard evidence from staff at the Royal Palms Hotel at the time, who said that the hotel room used by Mr Osadebay was cleaned before his arrival and the safe, located in the closet, was empty at that time.

A witness said that at about 9.30pm on July 31 a guest she referred to as “Mr Webb” arrived at the hotel with three other men and checked into the hotel.

She said she walked the defendant to his room and then showed the group of men to where the hotel pool was located.

The witness said that at about 9pm on August 4, she saw one of the other men on the property who asked to be let inside the room because he had lost his key.

“I said he was not the one checked into the room,” the witness said. “He said it was his brother, and I said hotel policy is we are not allowed to open the door to a person if we don’t have the actual guest in front of us.”

The witness said the man said he would try the front desk, and she did not see him again.

Under cross-examination by Marc Daniels, counsel for Mr Osadebay, the witness agreed that the man appeared to be “desperate” to get into the room.

She also confirmed that the hotel room safes are left ajar before a new guest checks in so that they can set their own passcode.

The trial continues.

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