A machete-wielding drug addict sexually assaulted a teenager while she tried to protect her disabled aunt, before subjecting three other women to a terrifying robbery.

Mentally ill Shane Todd, 30, threw one of his victims down a flight of stairs causing her to suffer a broken back, and slashed one of her friends with a machete.

His horrific crime spree was described in Supreme Court on Friday, where Chief Justice Richard Ground ordered him to spend 15 years behind bars, and to undergo treatment for paranoid schizophrenia.

Outlining the case, Crown Counsel Cindy Clarke told how Todd?s rampage began at 9.50 a.m. on June 10 2004. At that time, his 17-year-old first victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was asleep at the home in Paget she shared with her mother and mentally-challenged aunt.

Having heard a loud scream come from the bathroom, she got out of bed to investigate, and as she walked into the living room was hit on the side of the face by Todd, who was standing in front of her holding a machete and with a scarf covering his face.

In the terrifying attack that ensued, he put the machete to the young woman?s face before grabbing her aunt and gagging her, causing the young girl to plead with him not to hurt her relative.

He made death threats, punched the young woman in the face, and demanded money before subjecting her to a sexual assault that only ended when she lied to him that she had a sexually transmitted disease.

After this, said Ms Clarke, the teenager played the piano in an effort to pacify Todd, and managed to persuade him to let her take her aunt for a walk outside.

At this point they were able to make their way to a main road, where the frantic young woman flagged down a passing truck, and got the driver to call the Police.

Ms Clarke went on to tell the court how, less than an hour after the first attack, Todd committed his second horrific crime after walking up the steps of a house in Morgan Road, Warwick, belonging to Elsebeth Staal.

Ms Staal, 61, had friends Liss Soerensen, 71, and Karen Andreasen, 73, visiting from Denmark at the time and all three women were sitting on the porch when Todd approached them and asked if he could use their phone to call for a taxi.

Ms Staal agreed, but Todd then refused to stop talking on the phone. When she took it away from him he reached into the front of his trousers and pulled out a machete before charging towards her into the house.

As the frantic woman tried to escape, he grabbed her from behind in a headlock. Her friends ran to help her and a violent struggle took place.

?The defendant still had the machete in his hand and Elsebeth managed to free herself. The defendant was now swinging the machete at the ladies and Elsebeth?s dog, which was barking,? Ms Clarke said.

?This violent struggle moved across the length of the living room to the top of a staircase that leads to the kitchen. The defendant threw Elsebeth down the staircase and she tumbled over, hitting her back and head.

?The defendant chased after her, still being pursued by Liss and Karen. As Elsebeth lay at the bottom of the staircase, the defendant stood over here and started swinging the machete at her again.?

Ms Soerensen grabbed the machete to protect her friend, suffering a laceration to her right hand in the process. Meanwhile Ms Staal got up and ran out of the house to Morgan Road where she flagged down two vehicles, and got the drivers to call the Police.

Todd drove off in her car at high speed, and she returned to her house to find that he had stolen her handbag and contents valued at $2,750.

Both Ms Staal and Ms Soerensen were taken to hospital by ambulance. Ms Staal was treated for a broken back, and Ms Soerensen for a 1.5 inch cut to her hand, added Ms Clarke.

Todd was stopped by Police after a high-speed chase through Hamilton Parish during which he collided with another car and crashed into a wall.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of entering a dwelling house with intent to commit a felony, common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, sexual assault, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and robbery preceded by wounding.

During Friday?s court hearing, Detective Constable Jason Smith outlined Todd?s extensive criminal history which includes previous convictions for robbery, supplying cocaine, assault, wounding, threatening behaviour and carrying an offensive weapon.

Victoria Pearman, defending, said her client had been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and was heavily addicted to drugs. Addressing the court himself, Todd said he had been ?up for eight days using opiates? prior to the offences.

Sentencing him , Mr Justice Ground said: ?What occurred on that day must have been a terrifying experience for those involved and it is lucky for you, Mr Todd, that more harm was not done to them.?

Of the actions of the 17-year-old in defending her disabled aunt, he said: ?Her behaviour during what must have been a considerable ordeal , and her attempts to draw you away from her elderly relative, are commendable.?

He ordered that Todd should undergo psychotherapy and medical treatment while in prison.