A man accused of stealing a £300,000 antique viola has told a jury he didn’t know what it was until police told him!

Stephen Tillyer, who denies the thefts, claimed he picked up the instrument case, planning to hand it in later.

The 16 Century viola had been left on a London to Dover Priory train by London Symphony Orchestra member Edward Vanderspar.

The musician was so desperate when he realised his mistake in Marden rail station car park he dialled 999!

Tillyer, of Gloster Close, Hawkinge was arrested two days later when a police officer went to Folkestone West station with a still image from the train’s CCTV cameras and recognised him

The insurance official told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court: “I wasn’t acting dishonestly and I had no intention in keeping it.”

Video footage showed Tillyer walking through several carriageways before picking up a schoolboy’s rucksack which had been left on a seat.

Later he is seen picking up the viola case and taking it from the luggage rack and examining, as a rail inspector walks past.

But Tillyer claimed he was walking along the carriages because he needed exercise for his back, which was aching.

He said: “I just needed relief and there is nothing sinister in that. I wasn’t looking for anything. I just saw this bag and realised it had been left and I just picked it up.

“I planned to return it to the person for whom it was intended. I had no intention of keeping it for myself.”

Tillyer said he did the same when he came across the viola and saw the letters LSO in a label.

In the video he is seen looking around but explained: “I was looking around because I was expecting someone to pop up and say: ‘That’s mine’.

“I didn’t take it for myself. I was planning to get it back to their rightful owner.”

The video also showed him carrying the items from one carriage to another as an inspector walks towards the exit door.

He told the jury that the next day at work he tried to find a number for the London Symphony Orchestra but couldn’t find anywhere to leave a message.

“I didn’t know what it was. The first time I knew what it was when the police officer who arrested me, told me in the police station.”

The married man, who has no previous convictions or cautions, said he had got onto the train at Canon Street with three cans of strong lager to return home.

He said that he was arrested and handcuffed at the station which he thought was “a bit over the top”.

The jury is expected to consider its verdicts later today.