A man accused of carjacking a young woman at knifepoint, and then ramming a police car in another stolen vehicle, has been denied release from custody.
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Jesse Craig appeared briefly in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, where he didn't apply for bail and it was formally refused by Magistrate Mark Douglass.
The 24-year-old remained mostly silent as he appeared via video link, wearing prison greens, speaking only to answer "yes" when asked by Magistrate Douglass if he was using Legal Aid and whether he understood his bail had been refused.
Craig was arrested in dramatic scenes after a crash at Albion Park Rail on Tuesday morning.
The arrest came during an extensive police operation, which was sparked when Craig - and another man who remains at large - allegedly carjacked an 18-year-old woman in the Gerringong IGA car park on Monday afternoon.
Police said the two men approached the woman as she returned to her blue Mitsubishi and asked for a lift to the train station.
They all entered the vehicle, with one of the men allegedly producing a large knife and telling the woman to stop the car and get out. She did and both men drove off.
The Mitsubishi was involved in a brief pursuit on the Princes Highway in Nowra about 5.35pm on Monday and was spotted on the highway at Bomaderry a short time later.
Just after 8am on Tuesday, the Mitsubishi police said was involved in the carjacking was seen by police travelling north on Princes Highway at Broughton.
The vehicle's movements were tracked by police, with the assistance of a Polair helicopter, to a rural property on Riberry Lane, Broughton Village.
It was there Craig and a woman - identified in court as 28-year-old Angela Catherine Shepherd - allegedly stole a silver Kia, while the owner was home, and drove it towards Gerringong.
Police allege Craig drove at speeds of at least 180km/h in a 100km/h zone.
The car later encountered heavy traffic at the intersection of the Princes and Illawarra highways at Albion Park Rail.
Officers approached the Kia and Craig allegedly rammed a police car.
A police officer sustained cuts to his hand as a result of the strike on the driver's side door.
The stolen car headed south along the Princes Highway and slammed into three other vehicles at the Creamery Road intersection.
Craig ran from the scene and was arrested after a short foot pursuit. Shepherd was arrested in the car. Both were taken to Lake Illawarra police station and charged.
Craig was charged with 21 offences, including robbery using an offensive weapon, stealing a motor vehicle, driving at a dangerous speed, police pursuit and using a offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension.
Police allege Craig was also involved in a pursuit with police in Nowra on June 18.
Shepherd was charged with three offences including being carried in conveyance without consent and stealing a motor vehicle.
Shepherd appeared in court late on Wednesday, where her lawyer Melea Mullard sought to have her released from custody.
Bail was opposed by police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall, who cited concerns about her failing to appear, committing further offences and endangering the community.
Sgt Wall described the allegations against Shepherd as "alarming and extremely serious".
Ms Mullard told the court Shepherd did not dispute the reckless driving, citing she was "concerned for her own safety" and reiterated Craig was the person behind the wheel.
The court heard Shepherd had been in a relationship with Craig for "a few weeks" and was unaware the Mitsubishi was stolen.
Magistrate Darryl Pearce questioned if Shepherd had been under duress to get in the car. Ms Mullard replied that "may be an element".
The court heard Shepherd sustained a fractured chest plate and damage to her esophagus in the Creamery Road crash, and was admitted to Shellharbour Hospital.
Ms Mullard said Shepherd was herself "a victim in this matter", and could live with her parents in Nowra and report to police daily if granted bail.
Shepherd sobbed as Magistrate Pearce told the court she faced a jail sentence if convicted. He also said there was no evidence she was under duress to get in the Kia.
Shepherd cried when the magistrate denied her bail.
"She's not reliable to attend court as required," he said.
Craig and Shepherd will return to court on September 4.
Another man remains wanted in relation to the carjacking.
On Tuesday, police said they were focussing their search for the man across the Lake Illawarra and South Coast police districts.