CHARGES are yet to be confirmed against a man accused of wielding machetes as he attempted to jack cars during a road rampage spanning hundreds of kilometres.
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Tamworth Local Court heard on Wednesday the Crown prosecutor was looking over the string of allegations against 32-year-old Matthew John Riley.
"The matter still needs to be considered by chambers," solicitor Madeleine Mulvaney from the state prosecuting authority, the DPP, said.
She told the court representations had been made and asked for a two-week adjournment.
It meant the matter would blow out past the usual six-month deadline for charges to be certified.
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Defence solicitor Garry Johnston said there was no strong objection to the delay just this once.
"There certainly will be if it goes past the 25th of January," he added.
Riley has been behind bars since his dramatic highway arrest at a Willow Tree truck stop south of Tamworth on the afternoon of July 13.
Riley is yet to enter pleas to more than a dozen charges, including aggravated assault with intent to steal a car while armed; and attempted aggravated assault with intent to steal a car while armed.
Riley is accused of stealing fuel from Dunedoo and Denman then speeding away. A police chase was sparked but soon called off.
He allegedly forced a 55-year-old man and his 16-year-old son out of a sedan at Murrurundi with a machete before trying to start it himself.
He also allegedly failed in his attempts to carjack a van and a four-wheel-drive. Police tracked Riley to the truck stop.
The New England Highway was closed while the operation unfolded.
The court heard Riley also faced separate charges that would remain in the local court.
Lawyers asked that matter to be put over to the same date as the DPP matter, because they were related.
"It's intrinsically linked and and it should travel," Ms Mulvaney confirmed.
Magistrate Mal Macpherson adjourned both matters to later this month.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
