THE man charged with stealing a car with a baby in it outside a Telopea childcare centre then leaving the child by the side of the road in Dundas has begged for mercy from the court.

A woman had parked her vehicle outside the child care centre in Adderton Rd, Telopea, yesterday afternoon and left her sleeping five-month-old boy in a baby seat in the rear of the Toyota Camry.

Police allege that while the woman was away from the car Ben Boyd Olsen, 33, entered the vehicle and drove it away.

A distressed Olsen, from Dundas Valley, did not apply for bail in Parramatta Local Court this afternoon.

Wearing a long-sleeved black Iron Maiden T-shirt and looking dishevelled, Olsen told the court from the dock; “they’ll rape me and kill me if I go to prison”.

“I don’t want to go to prison, I’m weak,” he added.

“Please your Honour. Please, please, please, please. Don’t make me go back to jail, please your Honour.”

The court heard Olsen, who has bipolar and is a chronic marijuana user, told police the car had been left “as a gift from God” upon arrest, and he had found the vehicle, running, after missing a bus to Harris Park.

media_camera Where the car with the baby sitting in the back was taken from and where the baby was later found.

The court heard that Olsen wanted to get to Harris Park, where he lived before being forced out of his apartment as a result of a sinkhole next door.

He wanted to use the car to get some belongings as the only possessions he has are the “clothes on his back”, the court was told.

Olsen told police he did not know the baby was inside the car when he allegedly took it, but when he heard the baby “laughing” he panicked and put it on the side of the road.

Officers pulled the car over near the intersection with James Ruse Drive after spotting it travelling south on Pennant Hills Rd and Olsen was arrested without incident.

The child wasn’t in the vehicle but, acting on information provided, police quickly located the baby who had been left on the side of road in Denham Place at Dundas.

The boy was unharmed and was immediately reunited with his mother.

Olsen told police he stopped the tradesman who was in pursuit of him to tell him where he had allegedly placed the baby because he was concerned for the welfare of the young child.

media_camera Outside the childcare centre in Telopea. Picture: Google Streetview

He was taken to Rosehill Police Station where he was charged with taking motor vehicle with occupant on board and abandoning or exposing a child under seven years to danger of serious injury.

The accused did not enter a plea and a mental health assessment was declined.

“I have no doubt he has mental illness,” Magistrate Baptie said.

But she refused a mental health assessment, stating that it had been only two months since a similar order was granted.

Magistrate Baptie asked that Olsen be held in the prison hospital until his next appearance.

Olsen will reappear in Parramatta Local Court on August 20.

Graham, who lives in Denham Place where the infant was found, said the commotion in the street bought him from his house and he discovered the tradie who found the baby and a number of plain-clothed police.

“They were all huddled around the baby checking to see if it was OK,” he said

“I was shocked, it’s such a quiet street and I’d only been for a walk just half an hour before,.

“I guess it’s just lucky the baby was not hurt; it’s shocking that this has happened here.”

The private childcare centre was very quiet this morning, no children played outside on the toy equipment and blinds were drawn.

A neighbour who lives across the road, who did not want to be named, said she was in disbelief.

“What a heartless man,” she said.

“It’s a lesson though, never ever leave your children in a car that’s unattended.”