Daniel Artis pleads guilty to being getaway driver for home invasion ‘less than half an hour’ before sentencing submissions
He denied being the getaway driver for a brazen home invasion for months – but this man’s sudden admission has stunned his lawyer.
Police & Courts
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A Morphett Vale man involved in a brazen home invasion in Marino has finally admitted to being the getaway driver – and hitting the homeowner who tried to stop him driving off – after more than a year of denying it.
In the District Court on Thursday, Daniel Gary Artis, 34, abruptly changed his plea to guilty “less than half an hour” before his appearance – conceding he told a “pack of lies” to a forensic psychologist to “gild the lily”.
Gerard Bowen, for Artis, asked the court to “put off” sentencing and submitted the change was reflective of his client wanting to “put himself in a better light”.
He has now pleaded guilty to aggravated theft, aggravated due care and leaving the scene of an accident after causing harm by careless driving.
“In his own thoughts: ‘If I say this it might sound better. If I put something in this light, it will make my position better before the court’,” Mr Bowen said.
“So he accepts that he was part of a joint enterprise to steal, and that his role in what occurred was to be the getaway driver and that there was no pressure on him whatsoever to commit those offences?” Judge Heath Barklay asked.
“That’s correct,” Mr Bowen said. “He accepts he’s guilty – as of less than half an hour ago.
“It’s something I just don’t know what to make of. I’ve never dealt with something quite like this.”
Artis was arrested on October 30, 2023, after police followed his hatchback and located him, and five youths, at O’Halloran Hill.
He earlier admitted to being the driver of the vehicle and hitting the alleged victim who “bounced on to the bonnet and up on to the windscreen”, but was yet to enter any pleas at that time.
His front passenger, a 17-year-old boy from Huntfield Heights, was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass and breach of bail.
Judge Barklay adjourned the matter to next month for further submissions and remanded Artis on continuing bail.
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