THE man accused of the armed robbery of the Good Guys in Tamworth will remain behind bars until January as the case against him is finalised.
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Jeffrey Allan Smith is charged with four offences including using an offensive weapon in the alleged robbery on June 28 and larceny.
The 33-year-old appeared in Tamworth Local Court via video link from Tamworth Correctional Centre, where he has been held since his arrest in June.
The court heard the robbery charge falls under a new early appropriate guilty plea regime – introduced by the state government earlier this year – meaning the evidence had to be served on the defence earlier and the prosecution would conference the accused’s solicitors.
On June 28, detectives allege Smith stole gloves, overalls and a mask from a Tamworth store, as well as a set of number plates from another car, prior to the hold-up.
He’s then accused of robbing The Good Guys on June 28 of cash while armed with a knife, then fleeing in a Mitsubishi Magna.
Legal Aid solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said a case conference had been booked in December.
Magistrate Julie Soars agreed to adjourn the case to January, but Ms McAuliffe asked for a second residential rehabilitation assessment.
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“Mr Smith has asked me to request a Balund-a assessment," she said.
The court heard Smith “was found to be unsuitable” because of medical conditions, Ms McAuliffe said.
“They have resolved [now],” she told the court.
A second assessment was ordered and Smith made no application for bail.
Smith also had a charge of driving with an illicit drug in his system to which he pleaded guilty in court.
Ms McAuliffe said Smith had a “long-standing problem” with drug abuse and there was a “level of self medicating with drugs" to manage his medical conditions, which he was in the process of getting on top of.
Smith was convicted and disqualified from driving for six months.