A 23-year-old man who committed three robberies while armed with a toy pistol before fleeing police and crashing into a truck has pleaded guilty in the Launceston Magistrates Court.
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Albert Frederick Riley committed the three counts of armed robbery on January 9 and 10, 2020.
He also pleaded guilty to evading police under aggravated circumstances on January 10. Riley was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on April 27.
He stole money and cigarettes worth $4816 from a woman, $600 of money and alcohol from a man and $190 worth of makeup, shampoo, children's toys, confectionery and clothing from a second man.
He crashed on Penquite Road while "driving recklessly" after the robberies.
The Launceston Magistrates court heard that Riley nearly killed himself in the crash.
He was trapped for two-and-a-half hours and had to be flown to Melbourne for emergency treatment.
"He was not arrested at the time because it was believed he may not make it," defence counsel Hannah Phillips said.
Riley pleaded guilty on Monday to seven counts of unlicenced driving, three counts of driving with illicit drugs in his system, one count of stealing and one of breaching bail.
Riley had a four month suspended sentence hanging over his head after assaulting an emergency services employee and multiple counts of destroying property in 2017.
"There is no submission that it would be unjust to activate," Ms Phillips said.
Magistrate Sharon Cure activated the suspended sentence and added two months for the driving and stealing charges which stretched back to August 2018.
The court heard that Riley was not arrested at the crash scene because of the seriousness of his injuries, but was arrested on January 26 when charged at a bedside sitting of the court in the Launceston General Hospital.
Ms Phillips said that Riley was in a protective custody in Risdon Prison because of the risk of serious injury from any incident.
"He has pelvic fracture with metal rods and significant damage to his face with metal inserts," she said.