A Warrawong man responsible for a siege at Unanderra on New Year’s Day was so high on a cocktail of drugs and alcohol he can’t remember most of what happened, a court has heard.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Trent Raymond Blair pleaded guilty to a series of charges stemming from the incident, but admitted in Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday that he had very little memory of what had occurred owing to his affected state.
However, police documents presented to the court outlined exactly what unfolded that day, starting with Blair making a hoax call to emergency services around 11.30am claiming he was out the front of the Steelworks Hotel at Port Kembla, armed with a shotgun and about to rob the pub.
Police immediately dispatched officers to the location, however they failed to find any trace of Blair in the vicinity.
He called again half an hour later, telling them he was at a house in Lowanna Place at Unanderra and wanted to hand himself in.
But when officers arrived at the house and tried to approach Blair, he retreated into the premises, locked all the windows and doors, and drew the curtains.
Further attempts at communication by police were met with kill threats and obscenities.
Fearing Blair could be armed, police at the scene immediately called for back-up, requesting specialist officers from the State Protection Support Group, along with police negotiators and the dog unit.
At one stage while police were trying to speak with him, Blair turned his stereo up loud to drown them out, the police fact sheet said.
Blair eventually gave himself up just after 3pm.
More than 40 police officers were involved in the incident at the height of the suspected threat, with officers keen to convey to the presiding magistrate the impact the incident had on resources.
‘‘During this time a large strain was placed on emergency services in the area, who were still required to respond to other emergencies during this period,’’ officers wrote in documents before the court.
They also said Blair, who was well known to them, had a lengthy criminal record demonstrating ‘‘a pattern of failing to comply with directions made by the courts’’.
The court heard he was on parole at the time of the incident, having been released from jail in in August last year after serving a sentence for an attempted stealing charge.
Defence lawyer Nerissa Keay said Blair had never owned a firearm nor did he have access to one when he made the hoax robbery calls.
She said he’d been doing well following his release on parole but had spiralled into depression and returned to his former drug use due to a traumatic incident occurring in his life at the time.
‘‘He accepts he caused a lot of police resources to be used,’’ she said.
‘‘He extends his apologies to the court and accepts responsibility for his behaviour.’’
Magistrate David Degnan sentenced Blair to 14 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of 10 months.
He also ordered him to enter into a good behaviour bond for three years.