A serial Illawarra criminal has spent Christmas behind bars after failing to turn up to court on a serious armed robbery charge last week.
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Brock Martin is no stranger to the inside of a jail cell, having spent much of his adult life already behind bars, however, the 25-year-old was visibly upset when he fronted Wollongong Local Court last week and was told he would not be spending the holiday season with his family.
Court documents reveal Martin stands accused of helping a mate nick a black Honda CBR650R motorbike from a carpark in Harbour Street in Wollongong in December last year.
The court heard the alleged victim tried to stop the duo from wheeling the bike onto a trailer and driving away with it, however, Martin's co-accused allegedly told the man they were at the premises at the direction of the "Reichers - the Fourth Reich outlaw motorcycle gang - who had told them to take the vehicle.
When the man further tried to stop them, the co-accused allegedly produced a 25cm-long knife and told him "I'll put this through your f--king neck, I've already done 14 years in jail and I'm not doing anymore because of you".
The victim told police he feared he would be stabbed and moved away, allowing Martin and the co-accused to drive off with the bike.
The court documents said police subsequently put a phone tap on the co-accused's mobile, allegedly overhearing him bragging about stealing the bike.
"I got a new CBR650R," he allegedly said.
"[A] race bike...I held a f--king knife to this c--t's throat and I got his CBR."
Martin was arrested in March last year after police matched his fingerprints to those found under the bike's tail lights.
He was subsequently released on bail as his case proceeded through the court system and had been due to front court on December 1 but failed to show, prompting a warrant to be issued for his arrest.
Officers said they found Martin hiding in a Barrack Heights home last week.
He fronted court but Magistrate Claire Girotto refused to release him on bail again.
The matter will return to court in January.
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