Matthew Horlock will remain in custody until 2022 after allegedly jumping service station counter

A 25-year-old man was allegedly armed with a screwdriver and demanding cigarettes when he threatened a service station employee, a court has heard.

A 25-year-old man will spend Christmas in custody after allegedly robbing an On The Run with a screwdriver on Friday night.

Matthew Horlock appeared via video link in Christies Beach Magistrate Court on Monday where he was denied bail after allegedly threatening to stab a cashier in the neck if she didn’t hand over cigarettes.

Police alleged Horlock jumped the counter of the a service station on Dyson Rd, Christies Beach just after 6.30pm on Friday, October 15.

Witnesses told police he was armed with a screwdriver and allegedly threatened the console operator with it, demanding cigarettes.

Matthew Horlock, 25, was charged with aggravated robbery on Friday. Picture: Facebook

“He’s made threats to the teller, that she is to open the till otherwise he is going to jump the counter and stab her in the neck,” the police prosecutor told the court.

“She has then activated a silent alarm and withdrew to the staff area.”

Horlock then jumped the counter before leaving the service station with a large quantity of cigarettes before being located 100m down the road by police, the court heard.

He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery.

The court also heard Horlock is facing a number of other serious charges including possession of a firearm, making off without payment and trafficking a controlled drug.

The duty solicitor, for Horlock, made a submission for home detention bail after saying the accused had no recollection of the matter.

“He accepts he was severely intoxicated at the time and had taken a Xanax,” he said.

Magistrate Teresa Anderson rejected the idea of home detention saying there was a serious chance of reoffending.

“This offence is an extremely serious offence and in terms of the defendant’s current circumstances he is already on bail in relation to a number of charges including trafficking a controlled drug,” she said.

No pleas were entered.

Horlock will face court again in February.