A man has confessed to ramming several cars during a wild police chase spanning from Sydney's south-west into suburban Wollongong streets, however denies he engaged in predatory driving.
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Desmond Sparkes was behind the wheel of a red Toyota Torago when officers attempted to stop it about 2.30pm on September 26 in Campbelltown, while an AirPol chopper was called in to help.
He faced Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to seven counts of not giving particulars to a driver, driving recklessly or in a dangerous speed or manner, police pursuit, and driving on the road never licenced.
Tendered court documents state Sparkes, who has never been licenced, passed highway patrol about 2.40pm at Cataract and failed to stop when they activated their warning lights.
Meantime, a PolAir chopper flew above, following the red van as it drove from Picton Road to Mount Keira Road, before it weaved through cars the wrong side of the road through Mount Kembla.
Sparkes, 29, ran several red lights through the Wollongong CBD and continued to overtake several cars.
When he became stuck behind stationary traffic on Five Islands Road, officers pulled up alongside him, and he reacted by accelerating harshly into two cars.
Police will allege an officer grabbed onto Sparkes' door handle and attempted to open it, however was dragged backwards along the road as Sparkes reversed the van.
A car moved out of Sparkes' way out of fear of being rammed again, and he took off until he became stationary on the Princes Highway off ramp at Figtree, crashing into two cars as he squeezed between them.
Sparkes zig-zagged through Wollongong before he made it back to Picton Road, where he rammed vehicles in a bid to pass traffic, one of which was an unmarked police 4WD.
Sparkes' red van became wedged between the police vehicle and a concrete barrier that was separating the north and southbound traffic.
Police got out of their car and ran toward him, not before he crashed into another vehicle. He continued north on the M1 motorway before taking the Helensburgh turnoff where his chaos was brought to an end.
Sparkes subsequently admitted guilt to a slew of charges however pleaded not guilty to predatory driving and using an offensive weapon to prevent detention.
In court on Thursday, defence lawyer Lemar Miakhel sought Sparkes' release, proposing a list of strict bail conditions including not going within 20 kilometres of Wollongong.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Dane Corran argued Sparkes should be kept behind bars due to the "extreme lengths" he went to rather than stopping, to which the magistrate agreed with.
"Given the high level of avoidance on this day ... I can't be satisfied you will comply with bail conditions," Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said.
Sparkes' matter will be mentioned again on December 19, where he will likely receive a hearing date.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
