Michael John Baillie applies for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court

A man accused of allegedly robbing a service station in Stanwell while armed with two co-accused has claimed a fourth person was involved. Read his bid for bail here.

A man accused of allegedly robbing a service station in Stanwell while armed with two co-accused has claimed a fourth person was involved and was the one who took money from the store.

Michael John Baillie, 26, applied for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on January 10.

Mr Baillie was charged with one count of robbery with actual violence armed in company/wounded/used personal violence.

Police allege Mr Baillie entered Stanwell Stop on Main Street about 8.45am on January 8 and produced a large knife and made demands for money and property from a male employee, who complied.

Stanwell Stop on Main Street, Stanwell. Picture: Google Maps

Mr Baillie then left the business and got in a vehicle waiting outside that was allegedly driven by 25-year-old Gracemere man Radlen Paul Chamberlain, with a 27-year-old Gracemere female passenger.

The trio allegedly evaded police on Ridgeland Roads, Alton Downs, and crashed the vehicle before fleeing into bushland on Tyrell Road.

Police later took them into custody at a nearby property.

Defence lawyer Ken Spinaze, who represented Mr Baillie, said it was alleged his client went into the service station while his two co-accused stayed in the vehicle.

Mr Spinaze said there were three consistent versions by his client and the co-accused that give a different version of how the events transpired.

He said all three co-accused claimed there was a fourth person involved that told them to stay in the vehicle.

“He took the keys from the driver of the vehicle at gunpoint,” he said.

“They were then witness to him going into the store and taking the money.

“They were then told to drive to a certain location where they say he then entered another car and they abandoned their car and went to another property.

“Most importantly, it was my client and his two co-accused that contacted the police.”

He said much would hinge on what the CCTV footage showed and if it showed the number of occupants inside the car at the time.

Mr Spinaze said his client spent much of last year in custody and was released on bail in December.

He said his client was released on bail at an address in Gracemere, where he would also reside if granted bail on this occasion, and that the family at the address provided him with support and he would be offered labouring work.

He said his client was also willing to comply with a reporting condition, curfew and rehabilitation in relation to drugs.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown opposed bail being granted to Mr Baillie, stating that at the time of allegedly committing the offence he was on bail for serious offences, which included two counts each of arson and entering premises and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Ms Brown said police alleged it was the victim who called Triple-0 and alerted police.

She said police obtained a version from a witness who was outside the service station and saw three people inside the vehicle taking off from the scene.

“We have an eye witness that states there were three people inside the car which completely debunks the version of events given by the co-accused,” she said.

She said there was also a serious concern of tampering with witnesses if Mr Baillie was granted bail.

“There are no conditions that could alleviate the risk to the Crown case, the risk to the victim, the risk of tampering with evidence and this defendant was bailed to this address and is back before the court mere weeks later,” she said.

The magistrate refused to grant Mr Baillie bail.

He was remanded in custody and his court matter was adjourned to March 1.

Mr Baillie’s co-accused Mr Chamberlain, had his court matter briefly mentioned on Monday, where he was charged with one count each of driving without a licence disqualified by a court order and robbery with actual violence armed in company/wounded/used personal violence.

Mr Spinaze asked for the matter to be adjourned to Tuesday for a bail application and provided police prosecutor Brandy Butler with an address that needed to be checked.

On Tuesday, Mr Chamberlain’s lawyer informed the court a bail application would not be made.

A brief of evidence was ordered and Mr Chamberlain was remanded in custody with his court matters adjourned to March 2.

The 27-year-old woman was released on police bail and will appear in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 4.

Originally published as Michael John Baillie applies for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court