A paralegal who has been accused of perverting the course of justice claimed yesterday that two police officers had a “personal vendetta” against him.

Eron Hill made the claim while cross-examining Detective Constable Jason Savory, a police witness, who detailed the arrest of Mr Hill in November 2023 at LF Wade International Airport.

Mr Hill, who is representing himself in the case, has been charged with three counts of attempting to pervert the course of public justice through social-media posts made between October 29 and November 30, 2023.

He is additionally charged with six offences under the Electronic Communications Act, including that he made “grossly offensive” posts about police officers and caused one man’s phone to ring repeatedly to harass him.

The jury heard that Mr Savory and three police officers were tasked with arresting Mr Hill at the airport after he disembarked a flight from the United States on November 24, 2023.

Mr Savory said that morning he was briefed on an investigation that Mr Hill attempted to pervert the course of justice.

He said, at about 11.45am that day, he saw Mr Hill in a wheelchair at the arrivals section of the airport and he along with another police officer approached him.

The court heard that Mr Hill told the officers that he was in a wheelchair because of an “old injury”.

Mr Savory, who was the arresting officer, said that as he approached the defendant, he switched on his body camera.

After explaining to Mr Hill that he was being arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, the officer said he recorded notes in his notepad of the arrest.

The witness said Mr Hill told the officers: “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again … police corruption by attempting to intimidate individuals by arresting them without reasonable and probable cause is unlawful and the full story will be told.”

Mr Savory said three mobile phones and a laptop were sized from the witness which were handed over to the Forensics Unit of the Bermuda Police Service.

Under cross-examination, the witness said the body camera footage of Mr Hill’s arrest could not be found.

He told the court that he was informed that “either the footage was not stored properly or time has passed”.

The witness told the court that he was unaware if the body cameras of the other officers who took part in the arrest of Mr Hill had their devices switched on.

Mr Savory said “no” when it was put to him by Mr Hill that he arrested the defendant because of a “personal vendetta” of retired Detective Inspector Dean Martin and Detective Constable Michael Redfern.

Mr Hill asked the witness why he was “paraded” at the airport when he was arrested at the arrivals area and why the arrest court not be effected at the customs area.

Mr Savory said he arrested the defendant when he saw him at the arrivals area and he responded in the negative when told by Mr Hill that Mr Martin and Mr Redfern wanted to “embarrass” him by arresting him.

Earlier the court heard written evidence from Detective Constable Patricia Jeffers, who accompanied Mr Savory to arrest Mr Hill.

The jury also heard written evidence from Constable Nigel Richardson — a digital forensic analyst — who recounted that on November 24, 2023, he received two mobile phones from Mr Savory which were seized from Mr Hill.

Detective Constable Stephen Clyke — a digital analyst — also gave evidence that in December 2023 he conducted an analysis of a mobile phone which was seized from the defendant.

The trial before Acting Puisne Judge Paul Doherty continues.

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