Care worker who inherited £50m estate after DNA test proved he was son of the aristocratic owner 'broke man's leg in pub fight'

A care worker who inherited a National Trust estate after a DNA test proved he was the illegitimate son of the aristocratic owner has gone on trial after allegedly breaking a man's leg in a pub fight.Jordan Adlard-Rogers, 38, spent years trying to prove that Charles Rogers – who held the 1,536-acre family seat at the National Trust Penrose Estate in Cornwall – was his real father.Mr Rogers died aged 62 in August 2018, after which a DNA test confirmed they were related.Because Rogers's mother and brother were also dead, Adlard-Rogers was the estate's sole heir.His trial began yesterday at Truro Crown Court after he was charged with one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm following a bar fight which left a man's leg fractured in two places.Rogers is accused of punching Sebastian Winzar in the Out of the Blue pub in Porthleven, Cornwall, on July 13, 2024 but denies the charge.The court heard this caused Mr Winzar to fall and fracture his leg.Jurors heard Rogers and Mr Winzar had known each other as 'acquaintances' and were both drinking in the pub, where a band was playing, on the day of the alleged offence. Jordan Adlard-Rogers arriving at Truro Crown Court yesterday to stand trial for alleged grievous bodily harm He inherited the 1,500-acre National Trust Penrose Estate in 2019 after proving he was the illegitimate son of Charles Rogers following his death from an overdose The Cornish estate was gifted to the National Trust in 1974 in exchange for a 1,000-year lease for the family to continue living thereZoe Kuyken, prosecuting, told the court Mr Winzar described Adlard-Rogers as 'aggressive' from the outset and said he was 'shouting at him'.She said the alleged victim walked away several times but felt the defendant was 'trying to get a reaction out of him'.She added: 'On multiple occasions he asked to go outside with him. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a chair in the pub. He thinks he lost consciousness and doesn't remember falling to the floor.'Fortunately it was captured on CCTV footage. From that we can see a disagreement takes place. Mr Winzar brings his face to the defendant then steps back. He swings his fist towards Mr Winzar with force - causing him to fall to the ground.'The court heard Mr Winzar was taken to hospital and suffered two fractures to his leg and a swollen lip.Adlard-Rogers returned to the pub the following day and said to police: 'I'm assuming that you'll want to speak to me.'He then gave a prepared statement during his police interview claiming Mr Winzar threatened him and he had 'punched him to get him to leave me alone'.The trial was adjourned and will restart this morning when witnesses will give evidence.Adlard-Rogers previously said he was 'immersing himself in his new way of life' and his family's history after inheriting the estate.The Rogers family have lived on the land between Helston and Porthleven in Cornwall for generations and gave it to the National Trust in 1974 in exchange for a 1,000-year lease to continue living there. Charles Rogers, pictured in his late 20s or early 30s, died before it was confirmed he was related to Adlard-Rogers Adlard-Rogers moved into the country seat after spending his childhood on a humble estateAdlard-Rogers left his job as a community support worker to live off the estate's proceeds and said in 2019 he 'couldn't believe' how his life had changed since his inheritance.He said he had known Mr Rogers could have been his father since he was eight years old.'He offered to do a DNA test when I was younger but it didn't happen and then when I was 18 I knocked on his door and asked if I could have the test and he told me to do it through the solicitors. I was 18 so had other priorities at the time.'I wrote more letters in my twenties but never got a reply, then three years ago I got in contact with power of attorney Philip Care.'Philip said Charles didn't want to do the test so I wrote one final letter with a DNA test kit enclosed and that was when Philip rang and told me Charles was dead.'Adlard-Rogers said some family members had been obstructive but added: 'I'm now starting to get my feet under the table here.'People say I'm lucky but I would trade anything to be able to go back and for Charles to know I was his son. Maybe then he might have taken a different path.'I don't need to work anymore so want to set up a charity and help the Porthleven and Helston communities.'I've been at the point of worrying about the next bill and have had a tough start in life but now I'm here I want to help people.'I'm not going to forget where I've come from.'His father's inquest heard he had struggled with drug abuse and died of an overdose in his car outside his Grade II-listed farmhouse.Held in Truro, the inquest heard there were no suspicious circumstances and that Mr Rogers overdosed on a prescription drug.He was reportedly malnourished, neglected personal hygiene, rarely changed his clothes and lived in his car in the months before his death. He broke his back in 2014 after jumping from a fence and missing a trampoline below in a stunt that went viralThe coroner was told the life tenant of the estate receives an income from a trust, and Charles was given a 'substantial' cash allowance ranging from £300 to £1,000 a week.Adlard-Rogers said of his father: 'I haven't been here long and don't know all the ins and outs but have been able to piece some of the puzzle together.'Charles never actually lived in the estate. He lived in one of the estate's farmhouses as his mum lived here so he never got the chance to inherit it. They died two weeks apart.'It'd got to the point when he gave up on himself and was living in his car instead of his house as it was such a mess.'The Rogers family gave the National Trust 46 cottages and a couple of farms and now the Rogers Family Trust produces income for the life tenant.'After his father's death Adlard-Rogers spoke of the factors he believed resulted in his descent into addiction.'There was always a pressure of him trying to match expectation,' he said.'His brother was an RAF pilot and his dad a lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy so he had big shoes to fill. He was under huge pressure taking it on, but he was different and a free spirit.'Charles served in the Army in Northern Ireland and I think this affected him greatly along with the death of his brother Nigel from cancer who he was very close to.'It is understood Adlard-Rogers was conceived during a one-night stand his father had.The 38-year-old appeared in a viral video from 2014 in which he broke his back after jumping from a fence and missing a trampoline below.