ON the run from the authorities in Queensland, Shaun Sinfield was walking down busy Beaumont Street on a night in December last year when he launched into a terrifying crime spree.
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Sinfield, 40, stabbed one man in the chest with a scalpel during a failed carjacking, attempted to hold up a pharmacy and then carjacked a woman, frightening her two young children.
He then led police on a high-speed pursuit from Cooks Hill to Merewether before getting cornered and ramming two police cars.
He appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from Parklea Correctional Centre where he pleaded guilty to aggravated carjacking, attempted aggravated carjacking, detain with intent to obtain advantage, reckless wounding and police pursuit. Sinfield had been desperate not to return to jail in Queensland and fled south to Newcastle in the days before December 8 last year.
A man had just gotten back into his car in Beaumont Street about 5.45pm when Sinfield appeared and opened the driver's door.
Sinfield showed the man a scalpel and said: "get out of the f---ing car" before the pair struggled and Sinfield stabbed the man in the chest.
Sinfield got into the driver's seat but the 26-year-old managed to quickly reach in and pull the keys out of the ignition.
Sinfield eventually gave up and the 26-year-old was later taken to John Hunter Hospital. Sinfield then walked into Terry White Chemist where he demanded keys and money from a female staff member while holding the scalpel.
Unsuccessful, he stole two drinks from the fridge and fled. A few minutes later, a woman was stopped at a red light at the corner of Beaumont Street and Tudor Street when Sinfield opened the passenger door and got in.
The woman - who had two young children in the back seat - was terrified and told Sinfield she could not drive him anywhere.
"Please, you can't," the woman said. "I've got kids. I can't take you anywhere, you've got to get out."
Sinfield directed the woman to drive but ultimately told her to pull over and tried to get one of the children out of his car seat while holding the scalpel. He later told police he blamed the woman for distressing her children.
Police spotted Sinfield in Darby Street about 7pm and he led them on a high-speed pursuit before becoming trapped in Flowerdale Avenue at Merewether. He rammed two police cars and was arrested.
Please, you can't. I've got kids. I can't take you anywhere, you've got to get out.
- A woman told carjacker Shaun Sinfield.
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