A CHARD man facing a string of allegations including escaping from lawful custody and assault was brought before Somerset Magistrates in custody.

Matthew Scriven, 20, of Chesterfield, was arrested by police after failing to turn up for a previous court hearing at Yeovil.

He was charged that on March 29 at Chard he assaulted a boy aged 16 causing him actual bodily harm and assaulted another boy, now aged 16 but 15 at the time, by beating him.

He was further alleged to have escaped from lawful custody at Chard on March 30. He did not enter a plea to any of the three offences.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to a further set of allegations that he assaulted Eric Singleton by beating him, damaged a set of headphones and T-shirt worth £25 belonging to him and stole his Samsung Galaxy mobile worth £130.

He admitted a final charge of failing to surrender to bail on August 10 claiming he had got his court dates mixed up.

The assault and escape from custody matters were deemed so serious magistrates said they must be dealt with at Taunton Crown Court.

Magistrates adjourned those offences until October 17 when Scriven must attend a pre trial hearing at Taunton and bailed him with conditions that he must not contact the complainants and one other named witness.

He was detained in the courthouse until the end of the court’s business as punishment for the bail act offence and the remaining allegations were adjourned.

He will return to stand trial before Somerset Magistrates on Wednesday, November 16.

For those matters he was bailed with conditions not to contact Eric Singleton or Karen Hughes in any way.