A man accused of burning the fishing boat Challenger admitted to Police he set the blaze and had been told he would receive $5,000 to do so, a Supreme Court jury was told yesterday.

Crown Counsel Phillip Storr mae the claim as the trial of Gilbert Simons -- who denies wilfully and unlawfully setting fire to the 49-foot boat in April, 1996 -- got underway.

The trial, taking place before Puisne Judge Norma Wade, is centred on the events leading up to the early morning fire which destroyed the boat, which belonged to West End fisherman Alan Card as it lay on the slip at Robinson's Marina.

In his opening statement to the five-woman seven-man jury, Crown Counsel Phillip Storr said Simons, 28, of Southampton, admitted to Police he set the blaze after being told he would be paid $5,000 to do so.

Yesterday, defence lawyer Archie Warner cross examined Mr. Card about comments he had made to Jerome Simons, the uncle of Gilbert Simons.

According to Mr. Warner, Card had frequently mentioned that he found the 26-year-old vessel difficult and expensive to maintain, and made no secret that he wanted his boat burnt or destroyed in some way.

"No-one wished more hardship on the boat than me,'' Mr. Card said yesterday.

"But I didn't actually want the vessel to be destroyed, I was making idle sarcastic comments.

"Some time before the fire, Jerome came around the yard while I was working on the boat and when I made some sarcastic comment, he said: `It's not too late to get the man with the kerosene.' I took it to mean nothing.'' During cross examination, the fisherman said he gave a statement to Police on the day of the fire and another statement three days later. It was Card's second statement which contained his recollection of conversations with Jerome Simons regarding "the kerosene man''.

"I suggest to you, that you suddenly remembered these conversations with Jerome Simons only after you learned his nephew had been arrested on suspicion of setting your boat on fire and you did so because the cat was out of the bag,'' Mr. Warner said.

Card denied that allegation and other suggestions by Warner that he had conspired with Jerome Simons to have the boat burned, and collect insurance money.

The case continues today.