THE man prosecuted for smuggling the biggest haul of cannabis on to UK shores 20 years ago is in talks with film producers over the rights to his life story.

Phil Berriman was cleared of all charges despite being caught red-handed sailing a 3.5 tonne-haul of cannabis, worth £12m in today's money, into a cove ironically named Smuggler's Creek near Falmouth on the south coast.

The 57-year-old, who now lives near Barnard Castle, County Durham, was found not guilty after a jury ruled he had acted under duress from Tyneside gangsters who had threatened to kill his family.

The trial was not fully reported at the time due to a gagging order imposed by the judge because two police officers were accused of perjury during the case - but the charges against them were dropped 18 months later.

Now Mr Berriman has self-published a book, The Waccy Baccy Boat, online in a bid to silence the doubters who still claim he was "got away with it". He is also in talks with film and TV producers about telling the story on screen.

Mr Berriman said: "The full story of the court case didn't come out at the time so a lot of people were very sceptical when I was cleared. The Observer reported it 18 months later but I still feel I need to clear my name."

His perilous, 3,000 mile journey to Falmouth from Africa almost cost him and the crew their lives and the shipment was seized by Customs when the vessel got into trouble and was forced to put out a distress call.

The book also details his childhood with horrific bullying by his older brother, the violence in the nightclubs of Teesside, wild parties with top DJs in his Norton home, adventures on the "Costa del Crime", rubbing shoulders with international mobsters and how he secretly tape recorded an interview with police within a high-security prison.

The Waccy Baccy Boat is based on a true story and reveals how customs and police believed Berriman was the Mr. Big of the North East drugs scene.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he says. “I was the victim and I proved it in court. But to this day people still don’t believe me and say I was lucky to get off.”

"I’ve waited a long time to put the record straight."

While he was on remand awaiting trial he was held in Belmarsh as a category AA prisoner - the highest security - and was transported by armed guard in a convoy.

Mr Berriman was more recently known for opening a floating off license off the coast of Hartlepool in a revenge bid against Customs and Excise, exploiting a loophole in the law which he claimed allowed him to sell cheap EU cigarettes and alcohol in international waters 13 miles off the UK coast.

His next book - ready to be published - is called The Baccy Boat and will detail his more recent past and his struggles with Customs over the boat.