Erina: Gavin Anthony Fitzpatrick, 29, pleads guilty to pursuit before charges are even finalised

A man, who went viral when a video of him fleeing police wearing nothing but footy shorts was posted on social media, has told a court he wants to plead guilty before the charges are even finalised.

For more than an hour, Gavin Anthony Fitzpatrick was a step ahead of the law as he raced from one end of the Central Coast to another until he crashed a stolen car into a police vehicle and was arrested after a short foot pursuit.

Now, the 29-year-old is again a step ahead of authorities after telling a court he’s pleading “guilty” before the prosecution has even managed to finalise the charges.

Fitzpatrick faced Gosford Local Court on Friday via video link from custody where his lawyer Gregory Berry entered “guilty” pleas to 25 charges including driving a stolen car, using an offensive weapon to avoid arrest, assaulting police, possessing a homemade firearm, carjacking and failing to stop during a police pursuit.

Magistrate Pauline Wright said she would “note” the guilty pleas but they could not be formally recorded because the police prosecutor told the court the charges had not been certified.

The prosecutor sought an adjournment until September 6 to file a charge certificate.

Fitzpatrick was arrested after a short foot pursuit. Picture: @slimeyspartan51 / TikTok

A charge certificate details all the allegations the Crown intends to proceed with when the matter goes to trial or sentence in the District Court.

Police will allege in court that officers attempted to arrest Fitzpatrick on separate outstanding warrants as he sat in a black Mercedes in the carpark of Bateau Bay Square about 2.40pm on Tuesday, March 5.

Fitzpatrick (shirtless) flees police on Terrigal Drive. Picture: @slimeyspartan51 / TikTok

“The man ran, pursued by police before returning to the carpark and attempting to steal a vehicle,” police said in a statement.

“Police again attempted to arrest the man, however he (allegedly) resisted, assaulting officers before attempting to steal a motorcycle. He was unsuccessful, returning to his Mercedes and driving off.”

The Mercedes was monitored by Polair, however police eventually lost sight of the car at Wyoming where Mr Fitzpatrick allegedly entered a home and threatened the occupants with a homemade firearm before taking a white Mazda utility from their garage.

The Mazda was later tracked to Erina Fair where he allegedly attempted and failed to take other vehicles before he drove off in the same Mazda.

“While driving through Erina, the Mazda collided with a police vehicle on Barralong Rd, before colliding with another vehicle at a roundabout on Terrigal Drive,” police said.

Footage of Fitzpatrick as he got out of the Mazda shirtless and allegedly took off down the road later went viral when it was posted on TikTok.