Man accused of arming himself with a machete to rob a service station did so to pay off drug debt, court is told

Shane Duffy, 26, is accused of taking £270 in coins after brandishing the weapon in the presence of children at the Fortwilliam garage earlier this year.

Armed response police officers were deployed during an operation to arrest him.

Details emerged as Duffy, of Antrim Close in the city, was refused bail. He faces charges of robbery, possessing a bladed article in public, and common assault.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard that a man wearing a hat entered the filling station and produced a large machete on January 20.

He struck the counter with the blade a number of times and demanded money from the till while a number of school children were present. A detective said he left with approximately £270 in loose coins.

Members of the public directed armed police to a nearby flat where they claimed the robber had fled to.

Officers recovered a machete and a large amount of loose coins inside the property.

Duffy was also detained and allegedly stated that he had gone into the garage with the blade to rob it.

“He said this was due to owing a drug (debt),” the detective told the court.

Opposing bail, she added that Duffy was seeking to live less than half a mile away from the scene of the raid.

Defence solicitor Eoghan McKenna argued that his client had been in a distressed state when the alleged comments were made following his arrest.

Mr McKenna also cited the five month-period Duffy has spent in custody, and raised issues about CCTV and forensic evidence in the case.

Denying bail, however, District Judge Steven Keown ruled: “There is a serious risk of re-offending which cannot be managed.”

Duffy was remanded in continuing custody until July 11.