A Hunter man has been convicted over a five-month crime spree that included arson, the armed hold-up of a service station, breaking into a firearm safe to steal guns and an act of animal cruelty towards a group of emus.
Brendan Cannard, now 21, faced a sentencing hearing in Newcastle District Court on Wednesday, where he reaffirmed his guilty pleas to a range of counts - as well as back-up charges that will be taken into account when his punishment is finalised later this week.
The court heard that Cannard and his co-accused burned down a vacant home in the Hunter in September 2021 - two hay bales and bins were also destroyed by fire the same day.
Later in September, he used an angle grinder to break into a locked gun safe at a Milbrodale property and stole three firearms.
He was also involved in the destruction of a tractor found burnt-out at Tilpa and participated in the hold-up of a service station at Dunolly - in which he was armed with a gun equipped with a silencer.
Cannard also pleaded guilty to "committing an act of cruelty upon a mob of emus" at White Cliffs - the court heard this involved chasing the birds.
He was charged after investigators established Strike Force Carribee to investigate several arson and break-in offences in the Upper Hunter.
The court heard on Wednesday that Cannard had suffered from mental health problems and relied on alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms after he discovered the body of a family friend as a 15-year-old.
Cannard had been heavily using crystal methamphetamine in the lead-up to the time the crimes were committed, the court heard.
He remains in custody and his sentence will be handed down on Friday.
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