A man suspected of holding up two women at knifepoint in a Brighton car park before stealing their car has been ordered to await trial in prison.
Patrick Christopher Nesbitt, 30, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody when he appeared before Brighton magistrates yesterday (Monday 19 January).
Nesbitt was arrested after two women from Hove – a 48-year-old and a 56-year-old – were robbed as they returned to their car after an evening out in Brighton on Saturday (17 January).
They were confronted by a man with a knife. He demanded the key to their car and took the key, the car – a silver Ford Focus – and the owner’s bank card.
The robbery happened in the Trafalgar Street car park in Brighton at about 11.15pm. Sussex Police said that neither woman was hurt but both were left badly shaken.
Later a man used the car to get away after a thwarted robbery at the Dial-a-Pizza shop in Dyke Road, Brighton. By this time the number plates had been replaced with stolen ones.
The knife-wielding man threatened a 28-year-old woman who was working in the shop and told her to hand over cash.
Three men, who were working with her, appeared and bundled the suspect out of the shop. Again no one was hurt.
They called the police who spotted the stolen vehicle near by and gave chase. They used a stop stick in New England Road which punctured a tyre and brought the car to a halt. A man was arrested.
When Nesbitt appeared in court yesterday he was charged with robbery, attempted robbery, the theft of number plates, dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen of breath, driving with no insurance and driving other than in accordance with a licence.
He was refused bail and remanded in custody until Thursday 19 February for a preliminary hearing.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious, particularly before the incident in the car park, is asked to phone Sussex Police on 101, email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
