with the fire which destroyed the fishing boat Challenger appeared in Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The boat's owner Alan Card, 48, of Wreck Road, Sandys Parish, suspended Police constable Jerome Simons, 43, of My Lord's Bay, Hamilton Parish and his nephew Gilbert Ronald Stuart Simons, 28, of Rockaway Lane, Southampton have all been charged with conspiring between March 22 and April 2 to wilfully and unlawfully set the charter boat ablaze.

They each face separate charges of wilfully and unlawfully setting fire to the vessel.

In addition, they were accused of conspiring to defraud the Bermuda Fire & Marine General Insurance Company and making a claim over the boat.

Card is represented by Saul Froomkin, while Simons, now suspended from the Police Service, and his nephew are represented by Archibald Warner.

The 49-foot Challenger was swept by fire while anchored off Robinson's Marina in Somerset on April 12 causing more than $100,000 in damage.

It is alleged that the accused conspired to make a fraudulent insurance claim after setting the vessel ablaze.

Yesterday, the men -- each on $1,000 bail with like surety -- had their bail extended until their next court appearance.

Card is scheduled to return to court on October 1, while P.c. Simons and his nephew will return on September 18.

BACK IN COURT -- Alan Card