The captain of an alleged casino ship appeared to weep in court yesterday as his trial was adjourned for more than six weeks.

Panamanian national Fermin Alfonso Reyes, 29, became a father for the first time while in Police custody. He had been arrested on August 11 on suspicion of importing 100 gaming machines on the Niobe Corinthian boat.

Reyes put his head in his hands and had to be comforted by co-accused George Kezas, 71, as lawyers said diary commitments meant the over-run Magistrates' Court case must be halted until November. He has yet to meet his three-month-old child, although he is allowed to travel under the terms of his bail.

His lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, made allegations earlier in the day that Police told her client the Government did not wish to see him jailed. It also emerged that the Police undertook to pay his legal fees.

Ms Christopher cross-examined Inspector Nicholas Pedro, of the fraud unit, about Reyes' arrest and detention on August 11 after a six-hour raid on the ship. The officer told the court on Tuesday how he advised Reyes about lawyer Llewellyn Peniston representing him.

Yesterday, he said: "I advised that he should consider having a lawyer of his own choice, as Mr. Peniston might not have his best interests at heart, and that he should be free to choose his own lawyer and not simply accept one that was sent for him."

He said, at that time, he had understood Mr. Peniston to be a director of the company, Corinthian Ltd., that owned the ship, although Mr. Peniston later stated he had previously resigned this post.

He denied repeated assertions from Ms Christopher that he attempted to dissuade Reyes from using Mr. Peniston, saying: "I told him he was free to choose whoever he wished."

He added: "I was acting in his best interests. This is why you are his lawyer today. I resent you trying to put a sinister spin on it."

Insp. Pedro said that following calls by himself to Legal Aid, Ms Christopher took on the job of representing the captain.

Asked by her if it was correct for him to make assertions regarding defence lawyers, Insp. Pedro said: "When he's a target of the investigation, absolutely."

Ms Christopher then asked the officer if he had given Reyes undertakings about his legal fees. He replied: "There was an issue concerning his legal fees because of the situation that we were in. I consulted with my supervisor, and I was told by the Assistant Commissioner that if there was any issue regarding payment of his legal fees, the Police service undertook to cover those for him. Either way, we would seek to ensure that he was adequately represented with a lawyer."

Ms Christopher said this begged "a few questions as to what's really going on here," but did not specify what she meant.

She went on to ask the witness whether he gave another Police officer directions to tell Reyes the Government did not wish to send him to jail. Insp. Pedro said he did not recall making that comment, and he and his colleagues could not speak on behalf of the Government.

He added: "I may have made the comment I don't want to see anyone go to jail ... I happen to like Captain Reyes. He's an amiable, nice person."

The trial also heard evidence from Detective Constable Paul Fenwick of the fraud unit about raids on the ship on August 11 and on Kezas' home at Lily Park Lane, St. George, two days later. Computer equipment, floppy disks, compact disks and documentation were seized during the latter, and Kezas arrested.

Both defendants deny the charge against them. The case will continue on November 24. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo granted both defendants bail in the meantime, and said that whether Reyes chooses to go to Panama to see his baby or not "is nothing to do with the court". However, Ms Christopher said there were financial considerations to take into account.