Passers-by pursued an accused robber on foot through Canberra's inner south after the man allegedly threatened a woman with a replica firearm, a court has heard.
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The ACT Magistrates Court heard yesterday Mark Benjamin Schofield was taking a cocktail of valium, painkillers and booze around the time of the alleged incident.
Magistrate Maria Doogan refused the 37-year-old bail on a charge of attempted aggravated robbery.
Schofield has yet to enter a plea.
Police say the Queanbeyan man jumped into the front-passenger seat of a car parked outside the Griffith shops last month brandishing a replica pistol.
It is alleged he demanded the female occupant hand over money, but got out empty-handed after the woman shouted for help. The court heard passers-by intervened and chased the would-be-robber on foot from the shops to the Stuart Flats.
A police informant said the pursuers described the alleged offender as ''not very fit'' and suffering from some sort of injury.
But when they caught up with him he allegedly again produced what appeared to be a firearm and said ''just f--- off, all you guys just f--- off''.
The informant told the court Schofield was allegedly identified from CCTV footage recorded in the area of the shops.
And the pursuers eventually spotted the alleged robber getting into a car and gave the police the registration number, which linked the vehicle to Schofield.
Police found the car dumped in Queanbeyan after the alleged attempted robbery; Schofield had reported it stolen.
In an interview with investigators Schofield said he was taking valium, painkillers and drinking alcohol before the incident.
The father-of-two told police he had gone to the flats to buy drugs but did not have enough money.
The prosecution yesterday opposed bail, arguing Schofield posed a risk of reoffending to obtain money for drugs.
He was on bail over two drink driving charges at the time of the alleged attempted robbery.
But Schofield's lawyer said his client was prepared to stick to even stricter bail conditions, including reporting to police each day and submitting to breath and urine tests.
Ms Doogan, however, said Schofield's recent past suggested he had ''no regard for court orders''.
Schofield is due back in court later this month.