A man who described himself as a "good guy" while terrorising drivers with an axe and knife has been sentenced to more than six years behind bars for his violent crime spree in Newcastle.
Early morning axe threat
Just after 8:30am on October 5 last year, Matthew James Frederick Kelly approached a vehicle in Wallsend as the driver prepared for work. Fresh out of jail and desperate for cash, Kelly knocked on the window and confirmed the man wasn't a local church pastor before climbing into the passenger seat with his bag.
"I've got an axe in here," Kelly warned the terrified driver. "Don't make me use it."
The 22-year-old then forced the victim to transfer $300 using PayID to his mobile number - a move that would later provide police with crucial evidence linking him to the crime.
After directing the man to drive around, Kelly eventually returned to the same street. In a bizarre twist, he assured his victim he was actually a good person who simply needed money and promised to repay it when he could.
However, the threatening tone returned as Kelly warned he knew where the man lived and would find him if police were notified.
Violent carjacking attempt
While authorities searched for Kelly, another terrifying incident unfolded around midday the following day in Cooks Hill.
A 66-year-old man had just entered his car outside an apartment complex when Kelly jumped into the passenger seat and began lunging at him with a knife. The blade cut the victim's cheek during the struggle.
The elderly victim fought back, punching Kelly in the head and causing him to drop the weapon. Despite this, Kelly continued his attack, lunging at the man's chest three times and then targeting his stomach.
The situation escalated when another unidentified man punched the victim through the open window. Kelly, this accomplice, and a third attacker identified as Malakai Mohu then attempted to steal the vehicle as the victim fled down the street screaming for help.
The carjacking failed when the trio discovered they couldn't operate the vehicle, forcing them to abandon their plan and escape on foot.
Police investigation and arrest
Newcastle police quickly connected Kelly to both crimes through the mobile number used in the PayID transaction and DNA evidence recovered from the knife left in the second victim's car.
Officers spotted Kelly walking along a street on the evening of October 6. When they approached, he immediately fled, zigzagging along roadways and footpaths while resisting two applications of capsicum spray.
An officer eventually grabbed Kelly by the collar and brought him to the ground as he punched at police and shouted during the arrest. A search revealed a 45-centimetre metal pole concealed in his jacket and the second victim's car keys in his bag.
Court sentencing and aftermath
In Newcastle District Court on November 28, Judge Timothy Gartelmann sentenced Kelly to six years and six months imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years and three months.
The court heard about Kelly's troubled upbringing and previous criminal history. With a finding of special circumstances and accounting for time already served, Kelly will become eligible for release in February 2029.
He had pleaded guilty to multiple charges including assault with intent to rob in company, demanding property with menaces, and two counts of hindering or resisting police.
Malakai Mohu received a separate sentence of at least one year in prison for his involvement in the second carjacking incident.
