Ahmad El-Hajjar, had already pleaded guilty to four serious offences in March, including firing a gun in a public place and robbery using a dangerous weapon. 

In March, the court heard the harrowing details of the wild exchange, which began at a Sturt Highway rest stop in Borambola last November. 

Two parties arrived for a drug deal, bringing $3000 in cash with them to purchase the illicit substances as previously arranged. 

Shortly after their arrival, one party spotted a firearm under El-Hajjar’s shirt, dived to the ground, and heard a bullet pass by his head.

El-Hajjar then grabbed the second party, pressed the firearm against his neck, and said words to the effect of “don’t you remember who I am – you owe me money”. 

The 27-year-old appeared in Wagga’s District Court on Friday for sentencing via a video link from the Silverwater Correctional Complex. 

During his hearing, El-Hajjar told Judge Gordon Lerve that he wanted to write a letter of apology to the court.

“I’ve been in and out of jail since I was 18, and I’ve never written a sorry letter to a judge,” El-Hajjar said.

“From a man to a man, I sincerely am remorseful for what I have done.” 

The court heard that El-Hajjar continued to offend in jail, brawling with another inmate when he first arrived at the facility, disobeying directions from a correctional officer in April, and failing drug tests on “one or two occasions”. 

While Judge Lerve will wait until next week to finish handing down his sentence, he said he was unable to accept El-Hajjar was unlikely to reoffend or had good prospects of rehabilitation at this early stage. 

“My initial inclination is to, with some real hesitation, find remorse,” Judge Lerve said.

“He’s got a record that doesn’t assist him, and this offence was committed on parole.” 

The offender will reappear in Wagga’s District Court next Friday, June 8, to hear his full sentence.