Wyong: Daryl Edward Carr sentenced over crashing stolen taxi after police pursuit

A man with an intellectual disability was hearing voices before he carjacked a taxi, terrorised an elderly couple and led police on a high speed pursuit down the M1.

Daryl Edward Carr, of Wyong, has been sentenced over a carjacking and police pursuit. Picture: NSW Police

A man who carjacked a taxi before threatening an elderly couple and leading police on a high speed pursuit on the M1 was hearing voices in the lead up to the incident, a court has heard.

Daryl Edward Carr, of Wyong, appeared from custody via video link at Gosford District Court on Friday where he was sentenced over a range of offences from August 19 2021.

In September, Carr pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with intent to steal a car while armed with an offensive weapon, aggravated breaking and entering and being an unaccompanied Learner driver.

The 37-year-old also pleaded guilty to damaging property, intimidation and failing to stop during a police pursuit which were taken into account on sentence.

The court heard Carr had been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, schizophrenia and substance abuse.

Carr used a hammer to threaten the taxi driver.

In the lead up to the offending, Carr was hearing voices and had the belief that police were behind the voices which were being sent through silicone nanotechnology robots.

An agreed set of facts states Carr used his mum’s phone to book a taxi shortly after 6pm on August 19 2021 to take him to Toukley.

As the taxi turned into Hill St at Gorokan, Carr told the driver to “get out of the car” and pulled out a hammer he had hidden beside him.

The taxi driver grabbed hold of the hammer to “stop the offender hitting him with it” and eventually pulled over outside a house on The Corso where the driver was able to rip the hammer from Carr’s hand and get out.

The taxi driver pulled over on The Corso in Gorokan.

The taxi driver fled down the street, throwing the hammer away as Carr chased him on foot before the driver managed to flag down a passing motorist.

Carr approached the car and punched the window three times and ripped off the drivers’ side door handle before the terrified young female driver sped away.

The facts state Carr then went in through the rear door of a nearby house and grabbed a plastic back scratcher and threatened two elderly residents who were watching television demanding they give him the keys to their van parked outside.

The woman, 73, threw a glass of water at him and Carr fled out the same door after grabbing a pair of scissors from the kitchen bench.

Carr got back into the driver’s seat of the taxi and drove off before he was spotted by a Traffic & Highway Patrol officer joining the M1 motorway.

The facts state Carr reached speeds of up to 185km/h in the taxi with the police car in hot pursuit.

The pursuit occurred on the M1. File image.

“Another police vehicle situated further south on the motorway pulled over into the eastern breakdown lane with the intention to set up road spikes,” the facts state.

“Whilst the officer was still in the vehicle, and before he was able to set up the road spikes, the offender veered into the eastern breakdown lane at high speed and collided with (the) rear side of the stationary police vehicle.

“The taxi careered out of control and rolled several times into the eastern embankment of the motorway before coming to a standstill on its passenger side approximately 50m down the road.”

Carr was arrested as he climbed out of the back of the taxi and was recorded on body worn video making several admissions including “I just took off with the car, just stupid” and that he had taken the taxi after entering the house looking for keys.

He also told police he was armed with “a hammer and a pair of scissors”.

During Carr’s sentence hearing the court heard about his “unique” circumstances regarding his mental health. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2021.

The Crown Prosecutor argued that the threat with the hammer was “significant” however Carr’s defence disagreed regarding the seriousness of the event.

Judge David Wilson said “the offender acted impulsively in circumstances where he was suffering the effects of schizophrenia”.

Carr was sentenced at Gosford Local Court. Picture: David Swift

He said Carr had a lengthy criminal history and also outlined a background of drug use and a “deprived upbringing”.

Judge Wilson found that the threat with the hammer was “significant” however stated that no degree of actual violence was involved.

He said his sentence took into consideration Carr’s diagnosis and the fact that his mental health contributed to the offending.

He also allowed for special circumstances to help Carr with rehabilitation.

Carr was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment with a non parole period of two years and three months.

With time already spent in prison, Carr will be eligible for release in November 2023.