Stephen Le Huray, pictured, is suing the States of Guernsey after he spent nine months in prison for allegedly being involved in the importation of the Class A drug MDMA, known as Ecstasy, only for the case to be withdrawn two days before his trial was due to start.

He was arrested on 25 September 2000 and his claim for damages, which includes £15,000 for loss of earnings and £10,000 for legal fees, began in 2006.

For Mr Le Huray, Advocate Nick Barnes told the Royal Court that his client had been prosecuted without reasonable or probable cause and, as such, it had been malicious.

Three Customs officers had given statements saying that they had seen him riding a motorbike in Rue des Barras, Vale, at about the time in which the drugs were delivered.

His client was not in that road at that time and the officers had made it up, he claimed.