A NOWRA man arrested following a dramatic police chase on Friday allegedly committed three armed robberies in 24 hours, according to evidence presented to Nowra Local Court.
Joshua Leigh Duke (30) appeared via video link
from the South Coast Correctional Centre, in Nowra Local Court on Monday after being apprehended by Nowra Police on Friday evening.
Duke allegedly held up service stations at Albion Park, Tomerong and Batemans Bay between 2am on January 15 and 12.30am on January 16.
Police charges tendered to the court claimed Duke was armed with as 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle.
From two of the locations he allegedly took cash and cigarettes as well as two packets of M & Ms.
Local solicitor Mark Douglass appeared for Duke, who faced 54 charges, including three robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, firing a firearm at other than a dwelling with disregard to safety, two counts of failing to stop in a police pursuit and driving recklessly, using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, resist police and assault police.
He was also charged with driving while disqualified, failing to appear in court, driving a conveyance without consent, larceny, malicious damage of property, take and drive conveyance, using misleading numberplates, enter enclosed lands and goods in custody suspected of being stolen.
Duke appeared far different from the photos that were released by police
last week.
He was clean shaven with
a shaved head, wearing prison greens.
A number of charges originated in Penrith, where he failed to appear on November 20 last year
and he was convicted in
his absence.
Warrants were issued for his arrest.
There were a further six charges of goods in custody for which police were unable to serve court attendance notices.
Fresh charges were laid on Friday afternoon stemming from incidents between January 14-18 including robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, firing a firearm at a building other than a dwelling with disregard to safety, two counts of failing to stop in a police pursuit and driving recklessly, using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, resisting police and assaulting police.
Bail was not applied for and formally refused with Magistrate Dr Gabriel Fleming remanding him in custody to appear in Nowra Local Court via video link on March 5.