Samuel Leonard Hawkins, 23, admitted to using a knife to pop tyres in a seven-month spate of night-time attacks, in some cases going after the same car more than once, until days before his arrest on March 2.

He appeared in Dubbo Local Court for the first time this week and pleas of guilty were entered by a solicitor on his behalf to all charges.

Hawkins, who the court heard had family members present at the court, is set to be sentenced next month.

Police set up a special strike force to investigate a string of tyre slashings, with up to 50 reported victims, mainly in South Dubbo, typically involving a knife or similar implement inserted close to the rim, causing the tyre to deflate.

About 1am on February 24 police on patrol spotted Hawkins and spoke to him, noting his appearance including his tattoo was similar to a man depicted in CCTV recorded about the time of some of the previous offences, documents tendered to the court by the prosecution show.

Officers searched the surrounding area in Dalton Street and located and seized a folding knife and small torch.

On March detectives moved on the suspect, attending the South Dubbo home of Hawkins.

He was arrested and in an interview made admissions to slashing tyres on about 18 to 20 occasions, the documents show.

Hawkins told police he started damaging tyres on cars of people he recognised as having driven past him and insulted him in some manner, mostly via hand gestures, in the preceding months, the documents show.

He said people unknown to him would drive past while he was out walking or past his home and that he felt intimidated.

"Locating the vehicle and popping the tyre. . . was revenge for the intimidation he felt," the documents show.

At no time was Hawkins able to identify the occupants, times or dates, and never notified the police or anyone of the occurrences, the documents show.

Instead he started to repeatedly target the vehicles, and in some instances would return either days or weeks later and intentionally damage the same vehicles.

"The accused stated that once he had finished targeting the vehicles he believed were used by unknown persons who he felt insulted and intimidated by, that he got 'carried away' and enjoyed the thrill of commission of the offence, although acknowledged that it had become an 'addiction' and that he continued to commit the offences as he had become bored with idle time and not in regular employment," the document showed.

The defence told the court it had a psychological report and other subjective material to tender.

Magistrate Philip Stewart said he was not prepared to deal with the matter that day and ordered a pre-sentence report be prepared by NSW Community Corrections.

The prosecution indicated compensation for the damage would be sought.

The matters were adjourned until May 27 and Hawkins's bail was continued.