A MAN will be sentenced next year after admitting to an Armidale robbery and leading police on a dangerous chase to Tamworth, where he punched an elderly woman in the face as he tried to steal her car.
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Robert Paul Atkinson is being held in maximum security at Cessnock prison and sat silently as he appeared via video link in Tamworth Local Court on Wednesday.
Legal Aid solicitor Rae Parker said her client was admitting to a raft of charges, stretching across the New England and Oxley police commands on August 11.
It was the crown’s case that Atkinson went to a Barloo Rd, Invergowrie, property on August 11 and smashed his way in through a laundry door.
Once inside, the 45-year-old allegedly ransacked the house and used a crow bar to smash walls, benches, electrical goods, a car and stole a diamond ring.
From there police claim he attempted to rob a 71-year-old woman at knifepoint at an Armidale removal business, where he knew his victims.
“Pleas of guilty,” Ms Parker said to charges of break-and-enter and destroy property, and robbery armed with an offensive weapon
Two charges of larceny, namely that he stole a knife and cans of drink and meat from two Armidale businesses, will be dealt with after sentence on a 166 certificate.
Atkinson then fled Armidale without cash before he was intercepted by police near Bendemeer.
He was originally facing seven charges that he tried to ram officers using the silver Camry to avoid arrest by driving at four police cars, and police pursuit in the Tamworth and Moore Creek area.
On Wednesday, following negotiations with the Crown, he admitted to attempting to carjack a woman’s vehicle in Marius St before punching her in the face.
Atkinson formally entered pleas of guilty to using an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, aggravated assault with intent to take a car while inflicting actual bodily harm and police pursuit.
Related offences of enter dwelling with intent to steal and using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention will be dealt with on sentencing.
Two other charges that he drove at police on the outskirts of Tamworth were withdrawn.
Following the guilty pleas, magistrate Roger Prowse committed the charges to the higher court, where Atkinson will be sentenced next year.
“You’re committed for sentence to the district court of Tamworth,” he said.
“Being no application for bail consequently it’s refused.”
The spree sparked a massive police operation involving uniformed officers and detectives from New England and Oxley as well as crash investigators and other police personnel.
Atkinson was arrested after they found him hiding in a nearby garage off Marius St.
The court has previously been told Atkinson made several admissions to investigators in a recorded interview at Tamworth Police Station.
Ms Parker said her client did not require a pre-sentence background report on Atkinson to be prepared ahead of sentencing, with the court told a psychological assessment was being undertaken.
Atkinson will be sentenced in February.