A Sydney man driving a stolen car took police on repeated pursuits reaching speeds of up to 170kmh before he was finally arrested at Barnawartha.
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Damon Foley first took off from police near Yass on Sunday, March 17, just before 10am, did likewise from Wagga Highway Patrol 40 minutes later and again from Albury police around 11.30am.
His dangerous driving over the approximately 300-kilometre stretch contributed to magistrate Sally McLaughlin's decision to refuse bail for the 21-year-old.
Foley was eventually arrested by Victoria Police at the Barnawartha service centre.
They deployed road spikes, which brought the car to a stop as he tried to drive off again.
Foley, appearing via a video link to the Albury police station dock, pleaded guilty through lawyer David Ierace to several charges, including police pursuit, take or drive a conveyance without consent of the owner, dangerous driving, unlicensed driving and driver fail to stop for police.
"These are serious matters for which he is facing a full-time custodial sentence," Ms McLaughlin said, on refusing bail in Albury Local Court.
She said Foley's actions put the community at "serious risk".
Ms McLaughlin ordered the preparation of a sentence assessment report to investigate whether there were any options available to the court aside from jail.
The court was told how a woman woken by the sound of a dog barking went to the front door of her home in the south-western Sydney suburb of Ingleburn then saw her white, 2012 Toyota Camry being driven away.
It was February 19, just after 2am. A couple of hours later, the car was seen at a service centre a few kilometres away at Leumeah.
Foley, also from Ingleburn, was walking around the car and asking people if they knew what type of fuel it needed.
He also did not know what side of the car the fuel cap could be found, actions that - along with the car not having any registration plates - a witness found suspicious, police said.
Foley paid for $20 in fuel then drove away.
Police approach car near Yass
At 9.56am on Sunday, the car was seen parked on a one-way lane that was once part of the old Hume Highway, about 20 kilometres east of Yass.
Police drove up to the car, which they thought had been abandoned but then saw Foley in the driver's seat.
They tried to have a conversation with him but on seeing them, he drove off towards the dead-end.
Foley did a U-turn and drove back towards police. Moments later, police instigated a pursuit along the single-lane road during which speeds of up to 150kmh were reached.
A short time later, he slowed down to cross a cattle grid only to find police now in front of him. He braked harshly, they tried to avoid him but the police vehicle collided with the back of the Camry,
The policeman at the driver's wheel suffered whiplash.
A second pursuit involved Wagga Highway Patrol on the Hume Freeway at Kyeamba, north of Holbrook, about 10.40am.
Police were doing stationery speed detection duties when the Toyota passed them "at speed".
The officers caught up to the car, at which point Foley was doing not less than 170kmh. He overtook several vehicles.
He then crossed a median strip into the north-bound lanes and continued south at speed, with "vehicles taking evasive action to avoid serious collisions".
Police called off the pursuit because it had become too dangerous.
The court heard it was then police in Albury who became aware of Foley heading south.
A Highway Patrol unit took position on the Davey Road, Table Top, on-ramp just before 11.30am.
They then saw Foley's car approaching, at around 100kmh, so began to follow him.
"Shortly after, the accused has driven across to lane two and accelerated to a speed of about 160km," police told Ms McLaughlin, in an outline of the case against Foley.
At times, Foley drove in the emergency lane and then went to take an Albury exit only to swerve back on to the freeway in front of another vehicle.
Minutes later, he was nabbed at Barnawartha.
Foley will be sentenced on April 30.
