A man accused of a clumsy pub ATM heist in rural New South Wales now finds himself doubly wanted — by two jurisdictions and, perhaps, by his own failing body. Recovering from eight fractures and a staph infection sustained during a police pursuit, the 42-year-old discharged himself from Canberra Hospital against medical advice on Friday, then failed to appear in court Tuesday, prompting a fresh arrest warrant. His flight from care raises a quiet question that courts cannot answer: where does a seriously injured man go when he is running from both the law and his own recovery?
Bungled pub heist suspect flees hospital, arrest warrant issued
The suspect sustained eight fractures including two to his spine and contracted a staph infection during hospitalization.
He has eight different fractures, including two to his spine
Mark
So he just walked out of the hospital? While recovering from spinal fractures?
Mimi
That's what happened. He discharged himself Friday night. His lawyer had spoken to him that day, but then he was gone.
Luke
Do we know why he left? Was he fleeing, or was he just refusing treatment?
Mimi
The reporting doesn't say. We only know he left and didn't come back.
Mark
And he was supposed to be in court the next Tuesday?
Mimi
Yes. That was the condition of his bail—return to court when released from hospital. He didn't show up.
Luke
But there's already a NSW warrant for him, right? So the ACT warrant is almost ceremonial?
Mimi
That's what his lawyer argued to the magistrate. She said he'd face court regardless. But the magistrate issued it anyway.
Mark
What's his condition like now, medically speaking?
Mimi
Eight fractures, two in his spine, and a staph infection he picked up in hospital. He was on antibiotics when he left.
Luke
So he's out there with a serious spinal injury and an active infection. That's a dangerous situation for him.
Mimi
It is. And it makes his disappearance harder to understand—unless he was desperate to avoid court.
Mark
What happens next?
Mimi
He's wanted in two jurisdictions now. If he's found, he'll face court. If he turns himself in voluntarily, the magistrate said he could do that too.
Der Puls
- A man facing extradition to NSW for an alleged ATM theft vanished from Canberra Hospital on Friday night, discharging himself against medical advice while still recovering from spinal fractures and a staph infection.
- His no-show in ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday forced a magistrate's hand — an arrest warrant was issued, adding a second jurisdiction's reach to an already active NSW warrant.
- His Legal Aid lawyer argued the ACT warrant was redundant, since NSW authorities would eventually catch up with him regardless, but the magistrate issued it anyway, leaving the door open for a voluntary surrender.
- With multiple fractures, two spinal breaks, and an ongoing infection requiring antibiotics, the man's physical condition makes his disappearance as medically alarming as it is legally consequential.
A man accused of a clumsy pub ATM heist in rural New South Wales now finds himself doubly wanted — by two jurisdictions and, perhaps, by his own failing body. Recovering from eight fractures and a staph infection sustained during a police pursuit, the 42-year-old discharged himself from Canberra Hospital against medical advice on Friday, then failed to appear in court Tuesday, prompting a fresh arrest warrant. His flight from care raises a quiet question that courts cannot answer: where does a seriously injured man go when he is running from both the law and his own recovery?
A 42-year-old man accused of attempting to rip an ATM from a Tarago pub walked out of Canberra Hospital on Friday night without permission, and has not been seen since. By Tuesday, his absence from ACT Magistrates Court prompted Magistrate Glenn Theakston to issue an arrest warrant — though his Legal Aid lawyer, Eimear Silk, noted that a NSW warrant already existed and would bring him before the courts eventually regardless.
The alleged crime that started this chain unfolded on June 24 at the Loaded Dog Hotel in Tarago, where police say the man and a 38-year-old accomplice tried to use a car and straps to tear an ATM from its moorings. When the attempt failed, the pair fled in a white vehicle. Hours later, police spotted the same car leaving the scene of a reported home break-in nearby and gave chase — a pursuit that ended badly for the 42-year-old, who sustained eight fractures including two to his spine.
He had been granted bail on June 26 on the condition he return to court upon hospital discharge. Instead, he left against medical advice, still contending with his injuries and an active staph infection requiring ongoing antibiotics. His accomplice, by contrast, did not seek bail and was formally refused release.
The magistrate left open the possibility of a voluntary surrender, but with two warrants now active and a body still in considerable distress, the more pressing question may be less legal than human: how far can a man in that condition actually run?
A 42-year-old man accused of attempting to steal an ATM from a pub in Tarago, NSW, walked out of Canberra Hospital on Friday night without permission and has not been seen since. By Tuesday, when he was supposed to appear in ACT Magistrates Court, his absence prompted a magistrate to issue an arrest warrant for his capture.
The man had been granted bail on June 26 after his first court appearance, on the condition that he return to court once released from hospital. He was recovering from major surgery at the time—eight fractures in total, two of them to his spine—and had also contracted a staph infection during his stay, requiring ongoing antibiotic treatment. His Legal Aid lawyer, Eimear Silk, had spoken with him on Friday but was later told he had discharged himself against medical advice.
When the prosecutor applied for the arrest warrant on Tuesday, Ms. Silk raised a practical objection: an ACT warrant might be redundant, she argued, since NSW already had an active warrant for the man's arrest. He would be brought before the courts eventually regardless. Magistrate Glenn Theakston issued the warrant anyway, though he noted the man could present himself voluntarily if he chose to do so.
The alleged crime that set this chain in motion occurred on June 24 at the Loaded Dog Hotel in Tarago. NSW police say the man and a 38-year-old accomplice broke into the pub and attempted to use a car and straps to rip an ATM from its moorings. When that failed, the two allegedly fled the scene in a white vehicle. Within hours, police received reports of a second break-in at a home on Braidwood Road in Tirrannaville. Officers spotted the white car leaving that location and gave chase.
The pursuit ended in injury. The man sustained the eight fractures—including the two spinal breaks—that would land him in Canberra Hospital. His accomplice, the 38-year-old, did not apply for bail when brought before the Bail Court and was formally refused release.
Now, with the man missing from hospital and an arrest warrant active in both ACT and NSW, the question is where he has gone and whether he will surface voluntarily or be found. The medical condition that kept him hospitalized—multiple fractures and an active infection—suggests he remains in considerable physical distress, making his disappearance all the more precarious.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
He has eight different fractures, including two to his spine— Eimear Silk, Legal Aid duty lawyer, to the court
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Crime & Justice