The terrifying details of the 90 minute siege in Bulli, that sent nearby child care centres into lockdown, have been revealed after the man at the centre of the events pleaded guilty.
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Justin Maxwell Bennis, 38, today admitted to eight charges stemming from the siege in early October, including being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, three counts of harassing a police officer, using an offensive weapon to prevent detention, using a prohibited weapon and two counts of resisting or hindering a police officer.
Bennis's co-accused, Michelle Blackwell, has pleaded not guilty.
About 4pm on Friday, October 7 police arrived at Bennis's home address in Point Street Bulli where he was living with a woman known to him.
Police were on scene to make inquiries with Bennis about a traffic incident that had occurred in August.
Police knocked on the front door and activated their body worn cameras. From inside, police could hear Bennis and Blackwell yelling at police to "f--- off" and leave.
Police told Bennis why they were there and asked to speak with him. Then, Bennis appeared at the kitchen window with a large, black machete and a metal pole with a knife on the end of it.
Bennis began to yell and swear at police and threaten them with the machete.
According to documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court, Bennis appeared to be extremely agitated, manic, sweating and rambling.
Police tried to speak with Bennis again before he began swinging the machete and the pole around, smashing belongings in the kitchen and cutting the walls with the machete.
As this was occurring, police could see the woman Bennis was living with in the lounge room. Unable to make direct contact with her, police became concerned about her wellbeing.
Bennis and allegedly Blackwell tried to stop police from speaking with the woman and allowing her to come outside.
The woman also appeared to be unwilling to leave the room, documents state.
This set off the siege, with police establishing a perimeter around the house and began to negotiate with Bennis to get him to come outside.
In addition to the police originally on scene, multiple specialist tactical units were called to Bulli.
At this point, the woman inside was able to escape through the front door unharmed, with Bennis and Blackwell remaining inside, refusing to come out or cooperate with the police.
Bennis began to smash the windows of the unit and hold Blackwell around the head in a headlock and hold the knife to her throat as police attempted to negotiate with him. While in a headlock, Blackwell allegedly yelled and swore at police.
Bennis and Blackwell were seen by police to be wrestling with each other, with the machete switching hands and Blackwell allegedly waving the blade towards police as they tried to diffuse the situation.
"The accused and co-accused [allegedly] appeared to be acting together in a common purpose, refusing to come out and threatening to harm police," documents state.
After some time, Bennis came out of the unit holding the machete in his right hand. Police demanded Bennis drop the knife but he held it in the air and rushed towards police.
Fearing for their lives, police pepper sprayed Bennis and used a taser but Bennis went back inside and closed the door behind him.
Back inside, Bennis and allegedly Blackwell wrestled, covering themselves with cuts and blood from broken glass.
Bennis picked up a small kitchen knife and about 5.45pm opened the front door again and began to charge towards police. Using a taser, police were able to subdue Bennis and arrest him.
After being sent to Wollongong Hospital police began to investigate the crime scene where they seized the machete and kitchen knife as well as a green crossbow.
Appearing via audio-video link from Parklea Correctional Centre, Bennis asked to be sentenced today and when Magistrate Gabriel Fleming declined to do this, Bennis launched into an incomprehensible tirade before Ms Fleming cut him off.
"Mr Bennis, I am making the decisions, not you," Ms Fleming.
Ms Fleming set a date in December for Bennis to return to Wollongong Local Court to be sentenced.
"I'll be dead by then," Bennis said.
Bennis entered not guilty pleas to driving charges stemming from a separate incident.
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