litterbugs.

So when he saw a motor cyclist hurl a brown paper bag and some tin foil onto Middle Road in Devonshire he flipped his lid.

Determined to nab the culprit, he drove after the biker ahead of him.

And after getting him to stop on the grass verge, he said: "You had best pick up that piece of garbage -- or I'll call the Police.'' "What garbage?,'' came back the reply.

"You know full well what garbage I'm talking about. You had best pick it up.

I'm going to call the Police.'' Mr. McCluskey, in fact, carried out his threat, resulting in a trial yesterday at Magistrates' Court.

It comes as Tourism officials are desperately trying to spruce up the Island's image to pull in more visitors. Litter is high on the list of concerns.

Thirty-two-year-old Gregory Darrell, of Mary Victoria Road, Devonshire, strongly denies the littering charge.

He believes it's either a case of mistaken identity -- or Mr. McCluskey is lying.

But he did have some understanding for his accuser: "I too get angry by garbage. I was brought up in a Christian family and I don't discard trash.

"I might even do the same as Mr. McCluskey if I saw someone throwing garbage.'' Prosecution witness Mr. McCluskey was taken through events on April 9 by Sgt.

Peter Giles, prosecuting.

Mr. McCluskey, of Pain Lane, St. George's, recalled he was driving along Middle Road at around 8.30 a.m. when he saw a motor cyclist pull out of Orange Valley Road.

The biker threw away a piece of tin foil and a brown paper bag, which landed in the middle of the road.

Mr. McCluskey claimed he followed the biker -- without letting him out of his sight -- and stopped him. He noted the cycle's licence number.

"I had about a minute's conversation, and I had a perfect view of him.'' Mr. McCluskey said he later recognised Darrell at an identity parade at Hamilton Police station.

Darrell, a bartender at Elbow Beach Hotel amd employee with the Bank of Butterfield, maintained only a "fool'' would discard trash on a busy road.

And he said Mr. McCluskey must have confused him with the many other bikers on the road.

Darrell, who said he pulled out of Prospect onto Middle Road when going into work, told Acting Magistrate the Wor. Ed Bailey he considered the allegation against him as a "joke'' -- until coming to court.

But Mr. Bailey told him: "I consider this a very serious allegation indeed.'' The case was adjourned for judgment until Friday morning.