Allan John Hopkins to serve at least seven months jail after national manhunt

A wanted SA child rapist caught in country NSW after two weeks on the run has been sentenced immediately over a police chase.

A convicted child sex predator who fled South Australia after serious new allegations, kicking off a multistate manhunt, has been sentenced to at least seven months in jail in NSW for offending committed while he was on the run.

Allan John Hopkins, 45, appeared in the Moree Local Court after his arrest in Moree on Monday following an almost two-week search that involved police from SA, NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

Hopkins was sentenced on the spot after pleading guilty to two counts of drive dangerously to avoid police pursuit, drive motor vehicle without owner’s consent, steal motor vehicle, break and enter house and steal items of value less than $60,000.

The Advertiser understands there are no upcoming plans by SAPOL to make an order to extradite Hopkins to SA to face the charges pending in the state.

Allan Hopkins, 44, has been jailed in NSW for a police chase committed while he was on the run for alleged child sex offences. Picture: SAPOL

Hopkins was arrested on Monday after a wild police chase in NSW in a stolen ute. He is also wanted over an alleged carjacking in South-East Queensland last week, and for fleeing a roadside police intercept in Victoria.

During his arrest, Hopkins told NSW police “just shoot me, I’ve got a knife … it’s okay, I’m going away for life anyway,” Magistrate Catherine Samuel was told.

He also told police he had taken pills, the court heard.

Police first issued an appeal on Monday last week, alleging Hopkins had committed serious sexual offences against a child in early May.

Hopkins allegedly then went on the run, sparking the manhunt.

He has previously been convicted of child sex offences after he pleaded guilty in 2010 to the rape of a 10-year-old girl after breaking into her Paralowie home in 2007.

Hopkins kidnapped the child as she slept next to a friend and raped her at a nearby school.

He was sentenced 10 and a half years in jail, with a non-parole period of seven years.

The victim of that attack, who cannot be identified, bravely urged the public to come forward with any information that would lead to Hopkins’ arrest.

“That was my biggest fear, always, that someone else would have to go through the exact same thing … and I never wanted that,” she told 9 NEWS earlier this week.

On Monday, Hopkins defence counsel told the Moree court he has a history of mental illness, and was at risk of self harm, as well as suffering from serious physical health problems.

The court heard Hopkins had double bypass heart surgery and was on medication for his heart.

Ms Samuels sentenced Hopkins accumulatively for all offences to a term of imprisonment of 18 months, with a seven-month non-parole period expiring December 12.

His driver’s licence was also disqualified for 12 months.