Drugs were planted, says singer

Les McKeown's band penned hits in 1970s like Bye Bye Baby

Former Bay City Rollers singer Les McKeown accused detectives of planting cocaine on him, a court was told.

Mr McKeown, 50, from east London, said cocaine found in his wallet when he was arrested in June 2005 was not his.

He is accused of setting up a meeting to buy £16,000 worth of cocaine in Essex, with the aim of selling it on.

Mr McKeown, former Bay City Rollers guitarist Patrick McGlynn and Alistair Murray, from Edinburgh, deny conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Mr McKeown is alleged to have organised the "meet" between Mr McGlynn and Mr Murray with Jason Abbott in a hotel car park in Waltham Abbey in May 2005.

Former Rollers guitarist Mr McGlynn denies the charge

When police swooped they allegedly found £16,000 in cash in Mr McGlynn and Mr Murray's Clio and a CD with a line of coke on it.

It was also claimed they found £16,000 of 80% pure cocaine in the car belonging to Abbott, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply.

At the time of his arrest at his home in Hackney, east London, a month later, Mr McKeown denied living there, a jury at Basildon Crown Court was told.

When asked by police if it was his house, he replied: "No, I am a builder helping to do up the place."

Quizzed about the cocaine wrapped in a till receipt found in his wallet, Mr McKeown denied it was his.

"You have just put that there," he told police officers, "I have never seen it before."

But Det Con Ian Broughton told the court the singer was "rude" and appeared to be drunk.

Scottish pop band the Bay City Rollers shot to fame in the 1970s with hits including Bye Bye Baby and Shang-A-Lang.

The trial continues.