A GUNMAN on the run from police frantically raced around outside a busy exit to Charlestown Square trying to carjack terrified motorists in the days before he pointed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun at police officers who found him hiding in a suburban backyard.
Scott Thomas Burns, now 33, of Minmi, is looking at a lengthy stint behind bars when he is sentenced in Newcastle District Court in November after he pleaded guilty to a string of charges relating to his wild crime spree in June, 2023.
Police had been looking for Burns since June 1 after he went to the house of a rival at Edgeworth, revved the engine of his motorbike and did a burnout on the front lawn before returning a short time later armed with a shotgun.
A man inside came out armed with a metal pole and confronted Burns, encouraging the gunman to shoot him, according to court documents.
Burns pointed the shotgun directly at the victim and the pair yelled and gestured aggressively at each other while Burns pumped the shotgun and discharged rounds onto the ground.
Burns left without firing a shot, but police were called and launched an investigation.
It was about 4pm on June 12, when Burns blew through a red light on the Pacific Highway at Charlestown in full view of a marked police vehicle.
Police tried to pull him over, but he sped away, triggering a pursuit around Charlestown before Burns jumped from the car and took off on foot.
Police gave chase and followed him to Frederick Street near the entrance to the carpark of Charlestown Square.
"F-- off or I'll shoot ya," Burns repeatedly told police who screamed at him to get on the ground and drop the gun.
After two unsuccessful carjacking attempts, which were captured on video by other motorists, Burns fled into the shopping centre and up a stairwell, telling police chasing after him "I'll f---ing shoot" before they lost sight of him.
Burns disappeared and police searched the shopping centre before receiving a call from security that three people had been carjacked at gunpoint in the carpark on level 3.
A few minutes after he had given police the slip, Burns raced towards the group, who had been at the shopping centre to celebrate a birthday, pointed a gun at them and screamed "get out of the car, get out of the car now".
Petrified, the trio backed away and Burns took off, stealing the car and a handbag and phone inside.
Burns then crashed into another car that was waiting in line at the exit and then drove through a boom gate, causing it to snap off.
He escaped the shopping centre, but police began looking for him and received information that he had been hanging out at a unit at Acacia Avenue, North Lambton.
Two days after the carjackings, a surveillance team spotted Burns at the unit but he left before police could get specialist tactical officers in place.
He was followed to a house at Emerald Street, Hamilton North, where the specialist police arrived and surrounded the building.
But Burns jumped the fence into the backyard of a home in Clyde Street and it was there that he was found by police crouched down in a narrow space between the fence and a garage.
He was clutching a loaded shotgun that he raised and pointed at police who again told him to "drop the gun and get on the ground".
It wasn't until police hit him repeatedly with bean bag rounds that Burns fell to the ground and dropped the gun.
Police moved in, grabbing the gun and arresting Burns before they found the black pistol, an imitation firearm, hidden under his genitals.
When asked if the shotgun he had just pointed at police was loaded, Burns replied: "Yeah, it's loaded but the safety is on".
Burns remains behind bars and, after a brief mention of his matter in court on Thursday, will be sentenced in Newcastle District Court on November 18.
