A PRISON officer who was caught with more than £1,100 of cocaine hidden in his underwear is facing jail.

Police caught John Hunter, 26, after stopping him for not wearing a seatbelt while driving.

At first the warder at Shotts Prison in Lanarkshire showed his ID card and asked: "What are you doing this for? We're in the same line of work."

But suspicious police then handcuffed Hunter and searched him at a BP garage.

A three day trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court heard a search of Hunter discovered a bag containing traces of cocaine in his wallet.

And Hunter of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, also revealed he had hidden a bag containing 27.8 grams of the drug inside his trousers, claiming he had 'panicked' when quizzed by police.

A passenger in Hunter's car, Thomas Gillan, 20, was also charged with possessing cocaine.

Hunter told cops he 'bumped into' self-confessed drug addict Gillan after stopping at the busy petrol station in Hamilton on July 27, 2007.

And during his trial he claimed all of the drugs found on him were in fact Gillan's.

But yesterday a jury took just under an hour to find Hunter guilty of possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Gillan, of Hamilton, was cleared of intent to supply but found guilty of possessing 6.9 grams of the drug

Hunter was charged with possessing a total of 29.143g of the drug with a street value of £1,166.

Depute fiscal Paula Black told the jury Hunter's claims of innocence were 'ridiculous'.

She said: "It's a case of a 'big boy did it and ran away'.

"His version of events was so preposterous, so ridiculous that you could not possibly accept it.

"Mr Hunter is not the naive boy he has made himself out to be. He was no stranger to drugs and no stranger to cocaine."

The trial had earlier heard Gillan claim Hunter was a known dealer of cocaine in the Hamilton area who supplied the drug outside a local bar.

The welder, 20, told the court: "I drink in the pub and he was there dropping off stuff to other locals.

"I started buying from him. I could get cocaine while out for a pint."

Speaking outside court yesterday, Hunter insisted he was innocent.

He said: "I've not done anything wrong. This is all lies."

Last night a Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on any individual members of staff."

Sheriff Frank Pieri deferred sentence on Hunter and Gillan until November 25.

Both men were given bail.