A MAN committed for trial for the attempted murder of the Irish national David Keohane admitted yesterday to bashing and robbing a Chinese language student just 10 days later.

Thomas Isaako, 20, is accused of attacking Mr Keohane near the intersection of Brook and Kidman streets in Coogee last August, as the flooring countractor was walking home with takeaway pizza after a night out.

Mr Keohane was hit on his face with a sharp object, leaving him with multiple skull fractures, and robbed. He was in an induced coma for seven months.

A man matching Isaako's description and another man were seen walking along Brook Street on the night of Mr Keohane's assault, smashing the windows of parked cars with a metal bar, according to court documents.

For days afterwards, Mr Keohane's phone was allegedly used to ring Isaako's mother and girlfriend. Police allegedly intercepted one call between Isaako and another man, in which he was asked why he told his mother he had "hit someone with a bar". He replied: "I don't know."

In Central Local Court yesterday, Isaako offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated robbery, but the Director of Public Prosecutions rejected this and he was committed to stand trial in the District Court for attempted murder. He also pleaded guilty to the aggravated robbery of a Chinese student, Ben Wang, at Riverwood 10 days after Mr Keohane was assaulted.

According to the police brief of evidence, Isaako approached Mr Wang from behind, struck him on the back of the head and punched him until he was unconscious. He then stole his backpack, iPod, Chinese-English electronic dictionary, digital camera and mobile phone.

Mr Wang told police his head needed stitches and his collarbone was broken. Police allegedly intercepted a call from Mr Wang's phone, during which Isaako tells a female voice: "I just rolled someone. But baby, I've got this phone and it's the size of my finger. I'm talking off it right now. It's like talking to my thumb … I got me … a mad camera, digital camera. I got a Nintendo DS touch screen one. And some pair of sunnies. And a dictionary."

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