October 09, 2008

Custody remand for bank robbery accused

By Anne Clarkson

A 20-year-old charged with robbing two woman bank tellers at the St Martins Westpac bank yesterday has been remanded in custody for a week.

The St Albans man was granted interim name suppression when he appeared before Judge John Bisphan in the Christchurch District Court today.

Police opposed bail for the remand to October 17 and the man will stay in custody, but a bail application may be made on that date when his defence counsel is available.

The man is charged with robbing two woman bank tellers while armed with something that appeared to be a firearm.

Police say the man was chased through properties and caught within a police cordon after the robbery. They say the alleged firearm and most of the money taken in the robbery was recovered.