A NSW police officer believed he was about to die when he was savagely bashed by a self-confessed police hater, a court has heard.

Lake Illawarra senior constable Daniel Poole was at the home of Jason Scott Cormack in Unanderra on June 21 last year to investigate reports of burnouts being done in the street that morning.

One of the graphic police images depicting then senior constable Daniel Poole's injuries.

A woman answered the door and Mr Poole asked her about a Holden Commodore parked on the nature strip.

Mr Poole, a veteran officer with 34 years' experience, told the woman he would be seizing the number plates as the vehicle had been unregistered for 12 months.