Mr Shoesmith, 35, of Francis Street, Cessnock, appeared in Newcastle Local Court in handcuffs on Wednesday after he was arrested and charged with armed robbery, damaging property by fire, larceny and driving while disqualified.

Police allege Mr Shoesmith was armed with a sledge hammer when he and another man, who was brandishing a firearm, smashed their way into the Goulburn Street club about 10.25pm and confronted a female staff member as she was preparing to close up for the night. 

The pair are alleged to have forced her to the ground, tied her arms and legs with gaffer tape and ransacked the tills. 

They are then accused of untying the staff member, taking her to an ATM machine to empty the cash boxes and then forcing her to open 19 poker machines, which the offenders emptied into bags. 

The staff member was then tied to a table leg and the pair fled to the Nissan Pulsar, which police allege Mr Shoesmith drove from the scene despite being disqualified from driving.

The car was later found burnt out at Sawyers Gully.

Mr Shoesmith did not enter pleas on Wednesday and his solicitor, Julie Fleming, applied for bail on his behalf, telling Magistrate Les Brennan the case against her client was purely circumstantial. “There is nothing of any direct connection between Mr Shoesmith and these particular events, other than the circumstances being a car that was allegedly used in the event was found burnt out sometime later that had belonged to his partner,” Ms Fleming said. 

“His partner asserts that that car had been stolen earlier in the evening.”

Mr Brennan said he thought the circumstantial case against Mr Shoesmith had “strength” and pointed out he was on a good behaviour bond and bail at the time of the alleged offence.

Mr Shoesmith was refused bail and the matter was adjourned to August 16.