(Image: The Northern Echo)
A man has changed pleas and admitted robbing a woman of her car and driving it dangerously through Shildon, County Durham.
Harry Edwards previously denied robbery, dangerous driving and possessing a knife in public after a series of linked incidents in the town, on Thursday, May 21.
He was accused of robbing a woman of her Vauxhall Corsa on Thomas Street, threatening her to force her out of the vehicle and then driving it dangerously along nearby Redworth Road and on Church Street.
When the defendant originally denied the charges, at a plea hearing in early July, his trial was fixed to start on November 16.
But when the case returned to Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday (September 30), Edwards changed p[leas to guilty to both the counts of robbery and dangerous driving.
Defendant Harry Edwards changed pleas to admit both robbery and dangerous driving at a short hearing at Teesside Crown Court, where he will be sentenced in December
Prosecutor Elisha Marsay said the Crown accepted those pleas, and the knife possession charge would be “left to lie on the file” at the sentencing hearing.
Paul Abrahams, for Edwards, said he was not seeking a pre-sentence Probation Service report, but the court might order one because of his “relevant previous convictions” for violent offences.
Recorder Andrew Sutcliffe KC agreed and said the report should assess the danger Edwards poses.
He remanded 25-year-old Edwards, of Thomas Street, Shildon, in custody until his sentencing hearing in December.
The November trial date will, therefore, be vacated.
Edwards appeared from HMP Durham by video link and was told he could appear the same way for sentencing on Friday, December 4.