Man refused bail on Mooroopna armed robbery charge

Mr Dates is charged with armed robbery and has not entered a plea to the charge.

Victoria Police Armed Crime Squad Detective Senior Constable Sarah Inglese told the court Mr Dates walked behind the counter of the club’s bar area while carrying a knife and a backpack at 10.50pm on January 6.

He demanded money first from a female employee, before a male employee came over after he heard someone yelling “where’s the money, give me the money”, Det Sen Constable Inglese said.

Mr Dates then demanded money from the man, who opened the cash register and gave him $2600 in cash, the court heard.

CCTV footage from the golf club showed tattoos on the offender’s hand and him wearing an Everlast camouflage jumper and face mask.

A search of the surrounding area by police the day after the robbery found a kitchen knife, which was 30cm long including the handle, in a garden in Fairway Dve, Mooroopna.

The court was told CCTV footage from the surrounding area also showed the accused leaving in a silver car.

Det Sen Constable Inglese said police released rolling footage of the armed robbery in a media release on January 13 and, on January 14, NSW Crime Stoppers received an anonymous phone call that said the man in the footage was Mr Dates and he was staying with his sister in Shepparton.

Police did a reconnaissance of the address and saw a silver sedan parked at a Northumberland Cres house before they searched it.

The search found a backpack that matched the image in the CCTV footage, three mobile phones, a tablet, registration plates from three states and a beanie, Det Sen Constable Inglese said.

The police officer also told the court that a camouflage Everlast jumper and a hard drive were seized by police when they searched Mr Dates’ brother-in-law’s parents’ house in St Georges Rd the same day as part of an investigation into an armed robbery at the Peppermill Inn, Kialla, on December 9.

That armed robbery had two people involved.

Det Sen Constable Inglese said the backpack and jumper were “an exact match” for those seen in the golf club CCTV footage.

After questioning from the magistrate about the man questioned during that search, Det Sen Constable Inglese said he was a “different build”, had a “different complexion”, and did not have a face tattoo.

The court was also told that at the time of the robbery at Mooroopna Golf Club, Mr Dates was on parole in NSW after having served five years in jail for armed robberies with a weapon.

Det Sen Constable Inglese also told the court Mr Dates had been released from prison in NSW on November 23 last year, on another offence.

She also told the court the parole was for Mr Dates to live in NSW, where he had temporary accommodation in Albury before he was meant to return to Newcastle on January 20.

Representing himself in court, Mr Dates denied committing any offences and said he had applied to transfer his parole to Victoria so he could help his sister.

He also said he had an injured leg, with 13 stitches, from a motorbike incident last week.

“With this injury, I’m not at risk to anyone,” he said.

In refusing bail, magistrate Marita Altman said there was a “strong prosecution case” and if Mr Dates was found guilty, any delays in the case would not be too long.

Mr Dates will face court again in April.