A Bells Creek man charged over a violent robbery has denied any involvement, claiming he was buying a drink at McDonalds at the time.
Brandon John Richards, 23, was today denied bail in Maroochydore Magistrates Court after a man was pinned between two cars during the incident at Currimundi in the early hours of Monday morning.
The court heard Richards allegedly approached a man unknown to him who was sitting in his car and punched him through the open window in the Currimundi Shopping Centre carpark about 1.30am.
It’s then claimed he grabbed the keys from the ignition, but the alleged victim fought back and punched Richards.
Another car – whose driver is known to Richards – is then alleged to have pinned the man up against his vehicle.
Richards is further accused of getting into the alleged victim’s car and trying to start it, before biting his arm when he tried to get the keys back and running away with items from the car.
The court heard the man identified Richards from a photo board while being questioned by police.
After Richards allegedly ran from the location, the alleged victim called his friend, who is known to Richards.
Reading through the police evidence, Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin told the court the man and Richards ended up parked next to each other when Richards produced a handgun and told the man to “f— off”.
Richards was arrested and charged with eight offences including going armed to cause fear, robbery with violence and supplying dangerous drugs with police still searching for another man involved.
His lawyer Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown told the court Richards would contest the charges and told police while he was in the vicinity at the time, he may be able to produce an alibi as he was with his partner and friend getting a drink from McDonalds before he saw the second alleged victim.
The court heard Richards admits to seeing the second complainant and swearing at him, but denies pulling a gun on him.
A search of Richards home by police failed to find a handgun or any of the property taken during the robbery.
Mr McLaughlin said the evidence against Richards was “absolutely overwhelming” and questioned “what the chances were” the first crime could have been committed by someone else.
Mr McLaughlin denied Richards bail and he will next appear in court on March 2 for a committal mention.