A MAN whose DNA was found inside an abandoned car that had been stolen from Chard claimed he had only been given a lift in the vehicle back to where he was living.

Police officers were alerted by the victim, who reported seeing a man stealing the Mitsubishi Pajero that was parked outside his address.

When officers later tracked it down in the middle of a field in Crewkerne they found a bottle inside with Adrian John Porter’s DNA on it and he was arrested.

The 32-year-old, of Fore Street, Chard, pleaded guilty to being carried in a vehicle that was taken without the owner’s consent on April 9 when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates.

Edward Counsell, prosecuting, said that the owner of the car left it parked outside his house and at 1.30am saw it being driven away at speed and followed by another vehicle so called the police.

“Officers found the vehicle at 2.10am in the middle of a field in the area of Clapton Road in Crewkerne and also found Porter in the field close to it,” he said.

“Various samples were taken from inside the vehicle and a bottle that was also found inside had DNA which was identified as matching the defendant.

“During interview Porter said he had nothing to do with the theft of the car and said he was staying in a caravan that was close by.

However he has accepted in court today that he was carried in the vehicle.”

Porter’s defending solicitor, Tom Biggs, said the vehicle was not stolen by his client, adding that Porter claimed he had been picked up by an associate and had been taken back to a field where his caravan was.

“He had also had a drink during the journey and the bottle was left in the car,” he said.

“He was seriously injured during an accident in February and was on crutches at the time.”

He added: “Therefore his culpability in this offence is restricted to a 10-minute ride in a car where he was dropped off back home.”

He said that Porter had a long history of drug use but had been engaging with the probation service on a community order since the middle of February and it was going very well.

Probation officer Joe Harper said that Porter was very keen to return to work as soon as possible.

The magistrates sentenced the defendant to a 12-month community order with a 25-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

Magistrates also ordered Porter to pay a £60 victim surcharge but did not impose any costs.