A Maitland man is facing a litany of charges after allegedly kidnapping and assaulting a woman so violently she required surgery before attempting a chaotic weeks-long evasion of capture involving a police car chase and crash, before stealing a second vehicle and ramming police cars in a dramatic arrest on Friday that ultimately brought the man heel.
Police began investigating the 37-year-old in March after reports a woman had been assaulted by a man known to her at Upper Allyn, and issued a warrant for his arrest when he could not be immediately found.
Then, on June 2, officers were called to John Hunter Hospital told that a woman had arrived there with such serious injuries she required surgery.
Officers said in a statement on Saturday, June 24, that inquires led them to believe that the woman had been kidnapped by the man six weeks earlier and held against her will.
Police tried to arrest the man the following afternoon, on June 3, but he escaped after allegedly assaulting officers, fleeing the scene in a Jeep Cherokee towing a camper trailer.
Officers gave chase through the Kulnura area, but the Jeep collided with a tree after swerving to avoid tyre spikes, causing the trailer to detach from the vehicle. Police ultimately gave up the pursuit over concerns for safety.
Investigations into the chaotic string of alleged events continued until Friday, June 23, when an off-duty officer saw an allegedly stolen Landcruiser on the New England Highway at East Maitland and, with a number of other officers, followed it to the Metford train station.
There, police say, the man behind the Landcruiser's wheel rammed police cars before ultimately rolling the Toyota. Two senior constables suffered minor injuries during the arrest.
The man was finally arrested and take to Maitland Police Station where he was assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital under guard. On his release, he was charged with a string of offences, including multiple counts of domestic violence related common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking and intimidation, taking or detaining a person with intent to obtain advantage or cause actual bodily harm, and reckless grievous bodily harm.
He also faces a similar litany of traffic and other criminal offences, including multiple counts of using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, hindering police in the execution of their duties, multiple accounts of assaulting police, police pursuit, destroying or damaging property, driving while disqualified, multiple counts of dishonestly obtaining property, aggravated breaking and entering, vehicle theft, and reckless driving.
He was refused bail and was expected to face Newcastle Local Court on Sunday, June 25. Police investigations are ongoing.
