A "career criminal" who allegedly led police on a dangerous pursuit through Lake Illawarra and Wollongong in a stolen car before ramming two unmarked cop cars has been refused bail.
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Sophie Bentley, 19, the alleged passenger, was granted bail claiming she did not know the car was stolen.
Matthew Ryan, 31, fronted Wollongong Local Court on Friday where he unsuccessfully applied for release after being charged with seven offences following his arrest on Thursday afternoon.
Documents tendered to court said CCTV footage captured a man, who police allege is Ryan, and an unknown man enter the Toyota car dealership at Nowra about 1.30pm on Wednesday. The men allegedly got into a 2021 white Camry sedan before Ryan used the keys that were on the dashboard to drive out of the lot, while staff called police.
Ryan then allegedly drove to a petrol station in South Nowra shortly after leaving the dealership where he filled up with $26 worth of petrol, and then went to one in Warrawong at 7pm where he got $40 worth. Police allege Ryan did not pay for the fuel at either location.
About 8.40am the next day, police used the Camry's GPS tracking device to locate it in the Lake Illawarra area.
Officers called in PolAir before the car was spotted in Barrack Heights about 9.30am with registration plates that had been reported stolen the previous day. Highway Patrol officers attempted to stop the driver, who police allege was Ryan, but a pursuit was initiated.
Ryan allegedly drove onto New Lake Entrance Road where he crossed into oncoming traffic. Police terminated the pursuit for safety reasons and PolAir continued to track the car.
Police allege Ryan continued to drive on the wrong side of the road and went through numerous red lights and narrowly missed colliding with other vehicles, with the dangerous driving continuing for an hour.
About 10.30am, police saw the vehicle enter an underground car park on Market Street, Wollongong.
Police cars surrounded the Camry however Ryan allegedly reversed into an unmarked police vehicle, causing minor damage, before he left the scene.
Police encircled the car once again while on Market Street before Ryan allegedly reversed into another unmarked highway patrol car, rendering it inoperable.
Ryan allegedly got away and continued west along Market Street. PolAir tracked the car to Berkeley where police allege Ryan got out of the car as did a female passenger, who police claim was Bentley.
The pair allegedly entered Teal Place reserve where they were arrested, taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged.
Bentley told police she met Ryan three days prior at a friend's house. She said she contacted him on Thursday morning to arrange a lift and claimed she was only told by Ryan "the car's stolen. I'm not going to stop" when the police spotted the Camry in Barrack Heights.
Ryan was charged with several driving offences while Bentley was charged with being carried in a conveyance taken without consent of the owner.
In court on Friday, defence lawyer Alyce Fisher said Ryan denied the allegations and suggested the alleged facts did not say how police used the CCTV footage to identify Ryan. Magistrate Susan McGowan refused to grant Ryan bail due to the strong prosecution case and his criminal history. She gave Bentley bail noting she must attend a drug rehabilitation program next week. The cases were adjourned to June.
