NSW: Man due to be charged over hostage of mother, daughter

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2004
NSW: Man due to be charged over hostage of mother, daughter

By Graeme Webber

SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP - A Sydney man has been accused of leading police on a series of
high-speed chases in three stolen cars before taking a mother and daughter hostage in
their home.

A 45-year-old woman and her 21-year-old daughter allegedly fell captive to the man
when he invaded their Bonnyrigg house yesterday morning and held them for 19 hours.

Heavily-armed police tried to negotiate a peaceful end to the siege but then raided
the house at 4.30am (AEDT) today without any injuries.

The drama began early yesterday when the 32-year-old man from Dean Park and a woman,
allegedly driving a stolen car, were detected speeding near Blacktown but failed to stop.

Fairfield police crime manager Inspector Peter Marcon said a highway patrol officer
gave chase but had to pull out because of the dangerous conditions.

Police attempted to chase the vehicle twice more before it left the roadway and ended
up in a ditch.

"The person then ran from the vehicle to a compound where he jumped into a van and
attempted to drive off," Insp Marcon said.

"He was surrounded by police, there were some shots fired, the pursuit was continued
and that vehicle later came into contact with a tree."

The man then allegedly carjacked a car from a female driver, while his female accomplice
apparently got into another vehicle near Bonnyrigg Primary School.

However, the man again failed to escape police, crashing the vehicle into a tree.

"After he collided with a tree he's jumped out of the vehicle and he's run through
a premises, over a back fence and climbed through a bathroom window of the house in Tarlington
Parade, Bonnyrigg (containing the two women)," the inspector said.

Police sealed off the house and the Tactical Response Group moved in.

Negotiations continued for 19 hours before police stormed the house at 4.15am (AEDT).

Police have interviewed the younger woman and were expecting to talk to her mother later today.

"She was a little upset and obviously we wanted to make sure that she received adequate
counselling and medical treatment," Insp Marcon said.

The man was arrested and taken to Liverpool Hospital for minor wounds he sustained
in one of the crashes.

He was expected to be formally charged later today with carjacking, using a weapon
to avoid arrest, trespassing, stealing a car, two counts of kidnapping, three counts of
larceny of a car and six traffic offences.

Police said they were hoping to put the man before Fairfield Local Court later today
although computer problems may prevent this until tomorrow.

AAP gmw/sd/nf/cjh/de

KEYWORD: BARRICADE NIGHTLEAD

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