Robert Whitfield: Alleged Warrawong stabber sobbed as bail denied

A young man facing 20 “serious” charges from seven separate incidents tried to cry his way to a magistrate granting him bail. Read about the latest allegations that have him locked up on remand.

A Warrawong man who police allege stabbed two victims in the space of a few hours while “on the strictest bail conditions” has sobbed for his mother as he was denied bail.

Robert Whitfield, 22, begged to be released from custody on Wednesday despite Wollongong Local Court hearing it was his seventh set of serious outstanding charges since December 2020.

Whitfield was arrested in Unanderra on Tuesday afternoon and charged with a string of fresh offences including assault with the intent to rob while armed with an offensive weapon and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was also charged with aggravated assault with the intent to make or drive a motor vehicle with a weapon, aggravated assault with the intent to rob and inflect actual bodily harm, assault a police officer in the execution of their duty and resist an officer in the execution of their duty.

Police allege in court documents that Whitfield and co-accused Sophia Sprang, 19, attempted to nick a Port Kembla man‘s black BMW at around 2.30pm on Tuesday.

Whitfield allegedly told the victim “Give me your car keys you f****** dog” before stabbing him in the arm with a 25cm kitchen knife.

According to the police fact sheet, The victim managed to scare the two off with a sawed-off broom stick, yelling “I’ve got a gun and I will use it”.

Whitfield and Sprang fell for the bluff with the latter shouting “He’s got a shotty” before the pair bolted down the street.

Police allege Whitfield tried to hold-up a delivery driver on Forster St, Port Kembla, as he was dropping off a package.

Robert Whitfield allegedly stabbed two men, with two different implements, in the space of a few hours. Picture: Facebook

Court documents said the courier heard Whitfield running towards his Toyota Hiace and yelling “I have a knife”.

However, that didn’t deter the courier who rushed back to the van and slammed the door on the accused causing him to drop the weapon.

Police claim in the documents that Whitfield pushed the driver to the ground before running off to a nearby unit on Northcliffe Dr where he remained for about an hour while on the lookout for police.

It is alleged Whitfield wouldn’t let the male occupant leave before trying to escape with the accused picking up a screw driver, and the man’s car keys, and allegedly stabbing him in the pinky finger - causing bleeding via a small puncture wound.

Whitfield allegedly ran towards the victim’s car and after failing to break into it he fled the scene.

According to the facts, the accused ran into the path of two police officers who tried to place him under arrest for an attempted robbery, however, Whitfield allegedly pushed one away which caused the other to trip and fall down a flight of stairs.

Whitfield managed to catch a taxi to a family member’s residence in Kotara Cres, Unanderra, where once police tracked down his whereabouts they found him hiding in the roof cavity.

Police arrested him and conveyed him to Lake Illawarra Command where he responded to an electronically recorded interview request by saying “Snap out of it. I’m going, that’s stupid”.

In court on Wednesday, Whitfield kept asking to represent himself despite the attempted assistance of Legal Aid lawyer Matt Kwan.

Robert Whitfield appeared in court via video link on Wednesday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Whitfield begged Magistrate Claire Girotto to be released because he needed to “look after his nan” and because he had tested positive to Covid upon his arrest.

“I never done it, miss,” he said. “From the bottom of my heart, I never done it. I want to be out to look after my nan. I’ve been doing everything right.”

Whitfield’s mum went into bat for him, speaking out from the public gallery to explain her son’s actions and repeatedly interrupt his outbursts to “shoosh” him.

“He’s been staying in jail for eight months because of allegations [that remain before the court],” she said before accusing the police of “making up s***”.

“I can’t just have him say he told me he didn’t do it,” the magistrate replied.

“Madam, my role is to look at the facts on balance and on balance.

“It’s not a weak case … this is all his, all these charges are on him,” the magistrate said while lifting a large bundle of documents.

Whitfield wailed “I’m only young, miss, give me a chance” as Magistrate Girotto denied bail.

“I can’t believe they’re taking me away from you mum,” Whitfield continued.

“I love you mum, don’t leave me mum.”

Whitfield will remain in custody ahead of a return to Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, September 14.

In total, Whitfield now has 20 unresolved matters before the courts ranging from larceny, break and enters and driving offences.

Co-accused Strang was also denied bail after she was charged alongside Whitfield over the alleged crime spree, which came just four days after she was granted bail for serious domestic violence charges.

Strang is charged with two counts of contravening an apprehended domestic violence order, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and robbery armed with an offensive weapon.

The assault is alleged to have occurred on Monday night when police claim she whacked the alleged victim in the eye with a “solid object” just after the two had engaged in sexual intercourse.

Strang will return to Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, September 20.