Supreme Court Judge Richard Ground yesterday denied that the Legal Aid Committee had viewed Operation Cleansweep video evidence.

The allegation was made in Magistrates' Court earlier this week by Mervyn Smith, 42, of Bob's Valley Lane, Sandys Parish.

Smith, who was not represented, pleaded not guilty to supplying heroin on June 6 on Broome Street in Sandys.

Smith was arrested along with 15 other men during the joint undercover drug sting Operation Cleansweep and is scheduled to go on trial for the matter on September 30.

But while in court for mention on Monday, Smith stood up and asked Senior Magistrate Will Francis what he could do to get the Government Analyst to appear for his Long Form Preliminary Inquiry which was set for tomorrow.

"My rights are being violated,'' Smith claimed. "I've been denied legal aid because the legal aid committee has viewed everyone's Cleansweep movie.'' Mr. Francis answered Smith by saying: "Every time you come to court you waste my time.'' He told Smith only the prosecution could call witnesses during a Long Form Preliminary Inquiry, as it was designed to see if there was enough evidence to proceed with his case.

Smith started to go into the facts of the case, but Mr. Francis would not allow it. This prompted Smith to reply: "The only thing you've been asked to do is deny me bail.''