POLICE IN DRUG TRYSTS: MOTHER

A mother-of-four was close to tears yesterday as she described to a
District Court jury her drug taking and sex sessions with a drug squad
detective 20 years ago.

The woman, now 38, said that in 1981 she was introduced to cannabis by the
young mother living next door to her in Hamersley and they started smoking
joints together.

She told the jury that her friend introduced her to two drug squad
detectives - one of whom was Paul Ferguson. Over the next six months, the
foursome met about four times to take drugs and have sex. She was giving
evidence on the second day of the trial of Mr Ferguson, 49, now a
detective-sergeant in the WA Police Service.

He has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of knowingly giving false
evidence to the Anti-Corruption Commission in March 1998. The ACC was
investigating allegations that drug squad detectives were involved in the
theft and distribution of drugs.

In his answers to the ACC, Sgt Ferguson denied ever smoking cannabis and
denied being involved in drug taking with his colleague and the two women.
The names of the other officer and the two women have been suppressed.

The mother-of-four testified that in 1981 she was 18 and married with children.

She described her activities with her next door neighbour as "fun and
games" in her life with a strict husband and two little children.

She described the first occasion she met the two detectives at her friend's
home. The four of them smoked cannabis which had been provided by the
detective whose name is suppressed.

She knew they were from the drug squad and that her friend really liked the
other detective. She said that she and Sgt Ferguson had sex in her friend's
bedroom while her friend and the other detective had sex in the loungeroom.

She said that they met again. On one occasion, they were all in an old
house not far from the city where they smoked cannabis brought by her
friend. Her friend had sex with the other detective and she was going to
have sex with Sgt Ferguson but changed her mind and pushed him away.

On another occasion, they met in a hotel in the Hay Street mall in a room
which had two single beds. Again, they all smoked cannabis and her friend
had sex. And again the witness said she did not go through it with -
instead going downstairs and sitting in the bar.

She estimated she saw Sgt Ferguson about four times in six months. The only
other time she saw him was a few years ago when he was on TV talking about
the Claremont serial murders.

The trial continues today.