Felix Caddaye-Rose pleads guilty to assaults, threats, resisting arrest after Bellbrae manhunt

A Bellbrae man who held a fake gun to a woman’s head was found naked in a stranger’s hot tub after a manhunt following a standoff with police.

Felix Caddaye-Rose

A Bellbrae man who held a fake gun to a woman’s head was later apprehended after being found naked in a stranger’s hot tub after a police manhunt, a court has heard.

Felix Martin Caddaye-Rose, 26, appeared in the County Court at Geelong on Tuesday via videolink from Port Phillip Prison.

The Bellbrae man pleaded guilty to a litany of charges, including assault, making a threat to kill, false imprisonment, armed robbery, damaging property, drug possession, using an imitation firearm to resist arrest and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, all stemming from a single day in 2023.

On Tuesday, Caddaye-Rose was thrown a lifeline, with Judge Gerard Mullaly deferring his sentence until next year and granting him bail to attend a drug rehabilitation centre.

Judge Mullaly told Caddaye-Rose to make the most of the opportunity, because if he didn’t it was “inevitable” that he’d end up back in prison.

“I’m giving you a chance … you’ve got to seize this moment,” Judge Mullaly said.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Moore told the court that Caddaye-Rose had been living in a shipping container on a woman’s property in Bellbrae when the offending occurred.

On July 28 last year, Caddaye-Rose was seen to be in an “unusual and erratic state”, Mr Moore said. The woman was concerned he was using ice and cannabis, and had a stolen car.

That night she had two guests over, when Caddaye-Rose arrived back at the property, visibly armed with two knives – one a 40cm long machete. He was acting in an “agitated and frantic” manner.

The court heard the woman called triple-0 shortly after Caddaye-Rose threatened to kill her, accusing her of being a “witch” and “in a cult”.

He assaulted her not long after the two guests had managed to get out of the house, slapping her across the face twice before pulling a black, imitation firearm from his jumper.

The court heard the woman “felt that she might die” as Caddaye-Rose laughed when she told him to put the gun away.

He seemed to take joy in the power he held, standing over her, the court was told.

Caddaye-Rose marched her outside at gunpoint, towards where two cars – hers and a stolen Mitsubishi – were parked.

While outside, Caddaye-Rose grabbed the woman by the throat, held the fake gun to her temple and a knife to her throat, the court heard.

He told her: “Don’t think I won’t kill you because I will.”

Police began arriving at the property at about 7pm, moments after Caddaye-Rose had released the woman after she handed over her car keys.

The officers approached, noticing the knife “hanging from his hip” and the machete in his right hand.

In his left, Caddaye-Rose held the imitation firearm.

A standoff ensued, as the officers drew their firearms and pleaded with Caddaye-Rose to drop his.

“Felix, nothing bad has to happen,” one officer said.

Caddaye-Rose escaped by driving off in the woman’s car, even as officers shot out both the driver’s side tires.

He made it to the edge of the property before fleeing on foot, leaving his shoes behind.

He slipped past the police cordon and into Bellbrae, prompting a manhunt.

He was caught after a resident of the township heard the glass door to his outdoor spa close.

The man, who was at home with his wife and children, found the accused naked, with a red towel, on his deck.

The man screamed for his partner to collect the kids, as he called triple-0. Specialist police arrived and arrested the naked Caddaye-Rose in the spa.

Caddaye-Rose’s lawyer, barrister Erin Byrt, submitted that a combined sentence of the time he’s spent in custody and a community corrections order (CCO) would be sufficient, while the prosecution maintained that a lengthy term with a non-parole period was warranted. 

Originally published as Felix Caddaye-Rose pleads guilty to assaults, threats, resisting arrest after Bellbrae manhunt