A MAN charged over a violent home invasion and robbery in Tamworth has been committed to stand trial in court.
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Aaron Collins was on the run for more than a month before police tracked him down and arrested him just before New Year’s Day in Tamworth.
An arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Michael Holmes in November when Collins failed to show up to court just weeks after he was granted conditional bail by the Supreme Court in Sydney.
He has been behind bars now since his December arrest, when he was charged with a string of trespass, drug, assault and break-in offences.
Collins appeared in the dock of court in prison greens and pleaded guilty to one count of failing to appear at court.
Magistrate MacPherson convicted Collins of the offence without further penalty, and committed him to stand trial on charges of robbery in company causing wounding or grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to rob in company. “It’s an application to waive the committal,” solicitor Mark Daley said, tendering a signed waiver form.
One charge of robbery in company was withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Collins was committed for trial and formally refused bail and a trial date is expected to be set when the case is mentioned in February in a Sydney court.
The charges are in connection to an alleged home invasion in Petra Ave in Tamworth in the early hours of July 21, last year.
Police allege Collins was one of eight who surrounded the home and robbed a 46-year-old man of prescription drugs as well as other prescription medication from the man’s 26-year-old son.
The older man was stabbed in the back during the attack, while the younger man was assaulted out the back of the house.
He is yet to enter any pleas to the fresh offences which will return to court in February.