A POLICE officer seriously assaulted a suspect during a drugs raid before planting evidence and then lying about it, a court has heard.

PC Christopher Jude, aged 27, is standing trial at Preston Crown Court after being accused of attacking a suspected drug dealer who was unarmed and in bed while executing a drugs warrant at a house in the Everton area of Liverpool in March 2005.

The Merseyside Police officer is also accused of sneaking a craft knife into the property and planting it on the bed before telling his superiors that the occupant of the house had threatened him with it, which is why he carried out the attack.

He has denied charges of wounding with intent and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Three other officers are also facing charges: PCs Steven McGhee, 29, Garry Doolan, 33, and Peter Gannon, 34, are accused of misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Howard Bentham, QC, prosecuting, told the court that six officers carried out the dawn raid.

He said: "The basement flat was occupied by two brothers, Anthony and Carl Bosanquet. The officers burst through the door and the brothers were asleep.

"What then happens then, the Crown says, is that Anthony Bosanquet was attacked and beaten by PC Jude in an entirely unnecessary and illegal way."

He also told the court that another officer, who had been told to wait outside the property, defied her orders and went in and saw the end of the assault.

He said: "She viewed it as wholly unnecessary and excessive. Anthony Bosanquet was left with a fracture to his arm and bleeding to the face and head as a result of the blows."

He added: "It is the Crown's case that PC Jude wounded Anthony Bosanquet when he did not have that knife in his hand. Anthony Bosanquet denies that the knife is his and it therefore follows that somebody else brought that knife into the property.

"It is my case that the person who brought that knife into the property was PC Jude."

A court order has barred the release of any further details of the defendants' identity. We would like to point out that PC Jude has a father of the same name, who was also a police officer.

The case continues.