Rodney Gene Crosswell, 27, of Kingston, had initially pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Constable Holly Dillon but in the Supreme Court in Hobart yesterday he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assaulting a police officer.

According to the indictment filed yesterday, Crosswell unlawfully assaulted Constable Dillon on May 13 by pointing and discharging a sawn-off shotgun in her direction.

Crosswell also pleaded guilty to charges of stealing, armed robbery, aggravated assault, setting fire to property and perverting the course of justice.

The charges relate to a number of incidents in Hobart around the time of the shooting.

He admitted to pushing a woman in the back using a sawn-off rifle and threatening to shoot her in the northern Hobart suburb of Claremont.

According to the indictment, Crosswell said to the woman words to the effect of: "Don't f---ing mess with me. Show me where the f---ing safe is or I'll f---ing shoot yous".

He admitted to setting fire to a Holden Commodore stolen from the Hobart suburb of Mornington.

Sentencing submissions will be heard on November 3.

Crosswell is serving a 30-month prison sentence for driving, firearm and bail offences.