FOOTBALLING THIEF WITH BROKEN BACK SCORES HAT TRICK

A hapless thief who walked free from court after claiming he broke his back is finally behind bars today – after being caught scoring a hat-trick for his pub football team.

Adam Harrison received a suspended sentence for stealing lead from a church roof after falling from a drainpipe and claiming he had broken his back in two places.

The 25-year-old even claimed his injuries were too severe for him to carry out unpaid work given to him by Macclesfield Magistrates Court.

But Harrison scored a spectacular own goal when his goalscoring exploits were spotted in a local newspaper.

The hat-trick he scored in a Sunday League Cup tournament in Macclesfield was reported in the local newspaper and he was recognised by a member of court staff who had dealt with him the first time.

Police looked at the fixture list to check out when his team were next playing and arrested Harrison as he left the field in his muddy football shirt.

At the town`s magistrates court Harrison was still wearing the soccer top as he was jailed for 16 weeks after he admitted breaching his suspended sentence.

JP Colin Winder told him: `You have been cocking a snook at the system for far too long.

`You have not completed any of the court orders and in the meantime have been playing football. You have been trying to get away with this but now you are going to prison.`

Harrison had been initially arrested after he was caught stealing lead from the Salvation Army Church and Community Hall in Macclesfield.

He was spotted on the roof at about 1.30am on July 25 2011 by an off-duty security guard who called police.

Harrison realised he had been spotted and tried to escape but as he attempted to climb down a drainpipe, it snapped and he fell from the roof.

A large quantity of lead was found at the side of the church and the roof sustained