Damien Keith Hall pleads guilty to reduced charges over November 2016 CBD rampage, and confesses to earlier sexual assault
THE man whose dangerous criminal actions sparked a police shooting on Hindley St has accepted a plea bargain deal — and confessed to an earlier sexual assault.
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- Neighbour: ‘We all just feared the worst’
- Officer praised for calm courage in city shooting
- Discount: Hindley St ‘kidnapper’ offered plea bargain deal
THE man whose dangerous criminal actions sparked a police shooting on Hindley St has accepted a plea bargain deal — and confessed to an earlier sexual assault.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday, Damien Keith Hall entered pleas to what prosecutors termed a “rolled up” set of charges over his reckless spree last November.
Appearing by video link and speaking in a low voice while hanging his head, Hall pleaded guilty to four charges instead of the seven with which he was originally charged.
Those admissions mean The Advertiser can now report Hall has also confessed to having indecently assaulted a person at Blakeview 11 months prior to his rampage.
He will now face the District Court for sentencing — but the maximum 20-year jail term he faced at the time of his arrest is no longer on the table.
Prosecutors had alleged Hall, 26, threatened his former partner’s life at her Cumberland Park home in November last year.
He was further accused of kidnapping her and their children, aged three and seven months, at gunpoint, and threatening the life of her neighbour while forcing them into his car.
Prosecutors alleged he led police on a high-speed chase that lasted 90 minutes, despite the use of a helicopter and road spikes.
They further alleged he drove through Rundle Mall and down Hindley St, then threatened police with a gun before STAR Group officers fired a single shot, ending the incident.
It was subsequently revealed that, in the months prior to the incident, Hall had written about his relationship breakdown on social media while insisting he was a good father.
Hall faced a potential maximum sentence of 20 years for the kidnapping and his counsel had, at one stage, indicated guilty pleas were likely.
Last month, The Advertiser revealed prosecutors had offered Hall a plea bargain that removed the 20-year maximum in exchange for his confession to lesser charges.
On Friday, Hall pleaded guilty to one count of false imprisonment and one aggravated count of threatening to cause harm.
He also pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of endangering life and one aggravated count of threatening to kill or endanger life.
Prosecutors told the court they had “rolled up” several of Hall’s charges “into one”, meaning he faces just one penalty for endangering the lives of his former partner and their children.
Counsel for Hall asked the indecent assault count remain with the Magistrates Court for now, saying it would likely be “called up” to the District Court during sentencing.
Magistrate Greg Fisher remanded Hall in custody to face the District Court next month, when a date for sentencing will be set.