Joshua Leigh Duke, 31, appeared in Nowra District Court on Tuesday via video link from the Goulburn Correctional Centre before Local Court Magistrate David O’Connor.

Police laid an additional six charges, including four counts of steal motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and take and drive a conveyance.

Duke faces more than 70 charges, including allegedly committing three armed robberies in 24 hours in January last year.

It was alleged Duke 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 a 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle.

Duke faces a number of charges, including 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 number plates, enter enclosed lands, goods in custody suspected of being stolen, possess ammunition without holding a licence, possess an unregistered and prohibited firearm and not keeping a firearm safely

Evidence before the court alleged Duke received and disposed of a 2008 Sterling prime mover, a Freightliner model semi-trailer, a Caterpillar brand excavator and a Thomas Brand bobcat from the company One Steel Pty Ltd.

He did not apply for bail, which was formally refused, Magistrate O’Connor adjourning the matter until July 8.

In March this year Duke was sentenced to a 12-month jail term with a non-parole period of nine months after pleading guilty to escaping from the South Coast Correctional Centre.

Duke escaped from the correctional centre on June 8, 2013 and had been on the run for 19 days before being arrested at an address in Robinia Way, Worrigee. 

His younger brother Timothy Wade Duke, 28, of Princes Highway, Nowra also appeared before Nowra District Court on Tuesday charged with 16 offences.

Police allege Timothy Duke received and disposed of stolen property, including a 2008 Sterling Prime Mover valued at $250,000, a Freight Liner semi-trailer, a Caterpillar excavator, a Thomas bobcat and a homemade trailer.

Duke’s bail was continued by Magistrate O’Connor with the matter to be back before Nowra District court on July 8.