A NIGHTCLUB boss says police beat him up when they arrested him on suspicion of rape, describing it as ‘the worst day of my life’’.

Bushwackers boss Darren Pinches said he was in ‘a blind panic’ when police arrived at his home and had wanted to be taken straight to the police station instead of being arrested at his home in front of his wife and children.

The 52-year-old of Bromyard Road, Worcester denies administering cocaine with intent to stupefy or overpower a woman to enable him to engage in sexual activity with her and sexual assault in a Bushwackers storeroom on New Year’s Day last year.

Pinches also denies supplying cocaine to a second woman between February 9 and 15, 2016 and offering to supply cocaine to a third between September 10 and 13, 2015. He further denies possession of cocaine at his home on January 13 last year.

Pinches was cross-examined in a series of tense exchanges with Ben Aina QC, prosecuting, at Warwick Crown Court on Friday. Pinches fought back tears as he spoke of his arrest, calling it ‘the worst day of my life’. Pinches who told the jury he had asthma often appeared flushed and took puffs on his inhaler when he became short of breath and broke down in tears on several occasions, his voice cracking as he spoke.

Speaking of his arrest and interview Pinches said: “I was beaten up by police officers. My children was in the house. I have been in an ambulance. I was in the worst state of my whole life. My head was in a spin.”

Under cross-examination he acknowledged he attempted to flush the cocaine down his bathroom sink when police arrived at Berkley Gardens, Fernhill Heath on January 13 last year. He said: “I know I did wrong. I have no explanation. I just did it.” Mr Aina asked him if the document recording the discovery of cocaine in a Bushwackers toilet was created after police had searched the nightclub on the day of his arrest but Pinches said ‘that never happened at all’.

He also asked Pinches why the document had been put before the court now when his manager Mark Humpage, who found the drugs, had already given evidence so he couldn't be asked about it. Pinches said: “I can’t answer for Mr Humpage.”

Pinches said the cocaine was dropped at his home because he was ‘responsible’ for Bushwackers and added: “I would never do it again because of what has happened. We have now changed procedure.”

Mr Aina said: “You’re saying that your system was for cocaine to be taken to your home address and dropped through the letterbox, the letterbox at the house where your wife and children lived? That’s your system?”

Pinches said: “It would never happen again at my house.”

Pinches disputed Mr Aina’s suggestion that he disposed of the drugs because he had ‘a guilty conscience’. Pinches said he was ‘more bothered about my family’.

He admitted he had lied in two police interviews about never taking cocaine on January 13, 2017 and again in May 2017 but said he had been ‘in denial’.

Pinches was asked what he had said or done to the 22-year-old woman to make her leave Bushwackers on New Year’s Day without her shoes. “I said nothing to her what would make her upset,” said Pinches. “I did nothing at all.”

Mr Aina also asked why, if Pinches was so embarrassed about the marks on his body mentioned by one of the complainants, he had pulled his trousers down in a police interview on January 13 in front of officers and a female trainee solicitor.

He said: “You were not embarrassed. You took your trousers down, exposing your bum and penis in front of a female trainee solicitor.”

“I was very embarrassed and I didn’t show my penis to anyone in that room either,” said Pinches.

Mr Aina said: “You seek out vulnerable women and ply them with cocaine and take advantage of them.”

“No,” said Pinches.

Mr Aina asked Pinches if he had believed he was ‘untouchable’ and he replied ‘no’.

The trial continues.