A MAN who hid from police in an airing cupboard, but denies possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, has given evidence at his trial.

Devon Nelson, of Rose Hill, Oxford, faces four counts of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply on May 21 and November 10 last year.

Richard Moss, prosecuting, told a jury at Oxford Crown Court police officers found 10 wraps of crack cocaine and 28 wraps of heroin outside a property in Rose Hill, Oxford.

He said the drugs were hidden inside a child’s sock which is alleged to have had Nelson’s DNA on it.

Asked by his barrister Lucy Tapper why his DNA was on the sock, Nelson said it could only be from when he was playing with the children of friends.

He said: “I don’t know, all I’m saying is friends come there with kids and I love kids.”

Miss Tapper also asked what happened when police raided a house in Ashhurst Way, Rose Hill, Oxford, where they found the defendant in an airing cupboard.

Nelson said: “I got into the cupboard and chucked down clothes on me.”

He added that this was because he was afraid of having an “intimate” search by police.

He told the jury: “When they see me they do it to me, all the time.”

Mr Moss said in the same cupboard, hidden behind the boiler, were a further 15 wraps of crack cocaine and 53 wraps of heroin.

The trial continues.