A MAN accused of robbing a Quirindi service station last year remains in custody after appearing in Tamworth Local Court.
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Jason James Clarke, 37, appeared via audio-visual link on Wednesday from a Mid-North Coast correctional facility while in prison greens.
Family members supported him in the courtroom.
Clarke allegedly robbed Quirindi’s Shell service station on Station St on September 30.
He is accused of approaching the console operator and demanding cash before fleeing the scene.
He was charged with aggravated robbery, following Tamworth detectives’ investigations in October.
During his court appearance, Clarke’s solicitor made an application to call for witnesses for his upcoming committal hearing before making an application for bail.
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions prosecutor David O’Neill said an application for bail, in his view, had no merit.
Tamworth Local Court Magistrate Roger Prowse said Clarke needed a rock-solid and iron-clad alibi for a bail application to be considered.
By late afternoon, an application had not been made and Clarke was refused bail.
His solicitor claimed there was no one who could say for certain that it was Clarke in the robbery matter.
She then brought up the fact that witnesses saw the alleged robber touch a bread packet as he exited the service station, but Clarke’s DNA had not been found on the packet in question.
Magistrate Prowse adjourned the matter until March 13 for committal.