A man who committed an armed robbery and car-jacking hours after being released from a Hunter jail will either be admitted to a rehabilitation facility or sentenced in December.
Dane Adam Williams, 41, was due to learn his fate in Newcastle District Court on Monday for the crime spree on March 29, 2022.
But the court heard that Williams had been involved in a "failed" assessment for residential rehabilitation in the Balund-a Program.
Corrective Services NSW describes the program as "an innovative residential diversionary program for male offenders over 18 years of age", which aims to "reduce re-offending and enhance skills within a cultural and supportive community environment".
The court heard that by the time the matter is again before a judge, on December 4, Williams will have spent about 20 months in custody on remand for these crimes.
At that time, his defence solicitor will either ask for a release application to allow him to participate in residential rehabilitation - if his next assessment is a success - or for Judge Roy Ellis to hand him an Intensive Correction Order as an alternative to more jail time.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Williams used a large kitchen knife to hold-up a Cessnock bottle shop and steal $450 as well as a carton of gin mixed drinks about three hours after he was released on parole.
He then approached a man sitting in a car and said: "Excuse me mate, I'm having a bad day. I'd like your car keys please."
The man told Williams to "f--- off" and he moved on.
Williams tried another driver, who he held at knifepoint when the man refused to hand over his keys.
As they travelled together, Williams cried, apologised, and told the driver he had "never done anything like this before".
Williams got out of the car at Kearsley and walked to a nearby service station where the newly-released prisoner stole a Lexus - but not before the 85-year-old owner punched him several times in the head.
Williams was arrested when police later spotted the Lexus on the M1 Motorway at Beresfield.
Asked why he took the car, he replied: "I had nowhere to go, and I was heading somewhere".
