yesterday as he described the last conscious moments of Wilbur Doe.

He sipped a glass of water before sitting down with his head in his hands, apparently fighting back tears.

Then he told how his friend Ricky Smith clubbed Doe on the head with a wrench, leaving him in a coma.

Watson, 31, is on trial for the premeditated murder of Doe, a 68-year-old widower. He denies the charge and blames Smith.

He says he went to Doe's home with Smith on the night of December 8, 1988, to exchange $1,500 in Bermudian money for US dollars.

Yesterday he testified he told Smith to stay outside and went to Doe's door.

His voice shaking, he told the court how Doe invited him into his kitchen.

"I sat on a stool and we began counting our money...'', he said, before pausing to sit down in the box, apparently to compose himself.

He continued: "He sat beside me... and I noticed that Ricky was in Mr. Doe's house. He had the wrench in his hand.

"I figured that I had to stop him, so I said something to him to draw Mr.

Doe's attention to him, hoping to discourage him.

"I told him: `I thought you were outside waiting for me'. When I said that Mr. Doe had turned around towards Ricky, and Ricky just struck out at him with the wrench in his hand.

"I got out of the stool and stepped back. Mr. Doe fell towards the counter.

He looked like he had strained up to confront Ricky. It happened so quick. I told Ricky: `No'.'' Watson said that after a second blow he moved forward to stop Smith. "I went to Mr. Doe's rescue. He was on the floor beside the counter and he held my arms. He said: `Let him take the money. I had a son who died'.'' Watson again appeared overcome at this point. He continued: "I said to Ricky to look at what he'd done. Mr. Doe was still holding my arms. When I went to move him away from his counter I heard Ricky say: `F--k it'.'' Ricky brought the wrench down on Doe's head for a third time, said Watson.

"I released Mr. Doe and rushed towards Ricky, pushing him back. I grabbed the wrench from him.'' Watson left, followed by Smith two or three minutes later. Watson told the court he did not know if Smith hit Doe any more, by some other means.

After he had got back home, said Watson, Smith came to his apartment and left $400 in US money while he was in the shower. Watson said he used this money to buy a push bike, to replace one he had stolen and to give him a chance to be alone and think.

Watson then detailed his interviews with Police over the next week, describing alleged abuses that his lawyer, Mr. Tim Marshall, had earlier outlined to the jury.

And he made further accusations of mistreatment, saying detectives: denied him access to a lawyer: told him he would hang: suggested his boss, Freddie Thomas, paid him to beat Doe; left him alone in a room for eight hours; and asked if he was having sex with his boss and with Doe.

To get him back in custody when he was released, Police planted a marijuana envelope in a box of cereal in his apartment, said Watson.

On the night of December 16, he told the court, he had no blanket or mattress in his cell at Somerset Police station and was deliberately kept awake.

He said he spent December 17 at the incident room at Prospect Police headquarters, where "teams'' of detectives took it in turns to "hurl accusations'' at him.

Asked why he did not tell Police that Smith was the attacker, Watson told the court: "What stopped me from doing it was my relationship with Smith and his family, my pride, not wanting to prick on my best friend, and the way that the officers deliberately set about to treat me.'' Officers had told him Doe was improving, so he believed Doe would soon reveal what had happened.

Eventually he decided to get even with the officers in charge of the investigation. He believed they were responsible for the attack on his morale.

Watson said he asked for the top officers to be called out of a Christmas party to hear his "story''.

"I wanted to attack their morale as they were attacking mine. I wanted to consume their time as they were consuming mine.'' The trial continues.