BY IAN CROUCH

A man is due to face court today (Thursday 16 September 2021) accused of holding up a Jesmond bottle shop at gunpoint.

Police say the man entered the BWS outlet at Stockland Jesmond at about 4.45pm on Wednesday and threatened a shop assistant with a firearm before leaving with cash and four bottles of alcohol.

Following information from the public, a 24-year-old man was arrested outside a house on nearby Heaton Street.

He’s been charged with robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, possess unauthorised pistol, not wear face covering in retail outlet, not providing true and accurate information to Service NSW and not comply with a COVID-19 direction.

The man’s been refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court today.

Police say the shop assistant was shaken by otherwise unharmed.