Steve Houghton in Coffs Harbour court on restaurant break and enter charge

Tattoos, including one showing Coffs Harbour’s postcode, will form the basis of the case against a man accused of using a tyre iron to break into a restaurant.

A 34-year-old man is accused of using a tyre iron to break into a Coffs Harbour restaurant in November last year.

The court heard Stephen Bruce Houghton was already on bail for a previous break and enter using a weapon at the time of the most recent alleged break and enter on November 6.

Mr Houghton has been remanded in custody since the alleged break and enter and he appeared before Coffs Harbour Local Court via audiovisual link where his lawyer argued he should be allowed out on bail to prepare his defence.

Mr Houghton has been in custody for over four months and his “case has not progressed,” the court heard.

The case against him is largely based on security footage from the restaurant showing a man with several distinctive tattoos, including one under his right arm featuring Coffs Harbour’s postcode, using a tyre iron to break into the restaurant and steal $700 and throw a cash register on the ground.

His lawyer argued the evidence was mostly circumstantial and that he has strong ties to the Coffs Harbour community, residing here most of his life, and while he is accused of a serious offence it involved violence against property, not people.

But the police prosecutor argued the tattoos strengthened their case saying “it’s unlikely somebody else would have the same tattoos”.

Magistrate Ian Rodgers denied bail and the matter will come before Coffs Harbour Court again on April 12.