A businessman caught trying to export a £19,000 car that had been stolen in Oxford was told he had come close to getting a prison sentence.

John Taylor, 38, of no fixed address, appeared at Oxford Crown Court to be sentenced for handling stolen goods, using a forged insurance cover note and driving without insurance.

Matthew Walsh, prosecuting, said the silver Mercedes car was stolen from owner Jane Langdale in Oxford on November 21 last year.

On March 24, Taylor was stopped by police as he tried to board a boat in Dover to Spain.

The car he was driving was the stolen Mercedes with a new registration plate.

Taylor told police he had bought the vehicle on March 10 and had no idea it was stolen.

He was arrested and taken to Oxford, where he told officers he had paid £17,000 cash for it, and had been given a photocopy of the vehicle's logbook.

But later he admitted he had bought it in December, and since then had become suspicious about its validity.

He had tried contacting the person he bought it from, but then decided to take it abroad and sell it.

Taylor also admitted buying a cover note which he knew was forged from a friend for £50.

Hugh Williams, defending, said: "This is at best a very stupid set of actions from a man who has not been in trouble before."

He said Taylor had not bought the car knowing it was stolen.

Judge Anthony King told Taylor to complete a 200-hour community punishment order.

Taylor was also ordered to pay Ms Langdale £1,000 compensation, the prosecution costs of £267 and defence costs of £525. He was also banned from driving for nine months.