Alleged victim withdrew cash at knifepoint

According to police facts, Samuel Benjamin Coleman, 19, told the 20-year-old victim to hand over 50 dollars after he broke into his house at 2.30am in Gaskill Street.

“Don’t lie to me” he told the victim after the victim said he had no cash. 

Coleman allegedly began to count down from three.

“I don’t have any money,” the victim pleaded. 

“Three, two ... two and a half,” Coleman counted.

He then held the man at knife point, forced him to drive to an ATM and demanded the victim withdraw $50, police said.

Coleman told the alleged victim that he would pay him back. 

The men knew each other and Coleman had been to the victim’s house. 

Coleman was refused bail in Orange Local Court by Magistrate Terry Lucas on Friday.

Mr Lucas said Coleman had a history of violence and the offences carried hefty jail terms if he were convicted. 

Police prosecutor Sergeant Andy Bobin said the case against Coleman was strong and he could be looking at 20 years in jail.

“[Coleman] told him ‘I’ll pay you back, see ya later’,” he said. 

“The alleged victim then started receiving threats on Facebook.”

Coleman’s solicitor Rebecca McIlveen said he had been taking medication for a mental illness and had not had any involvement with police since May 2011.

She said there was no way his family could post the $10,000 surety that Mr Bobin had requested.

Ms McIlveen said her client was heavily intoxicated at the time, however, he was a hard worker and was essentially the sole bread winner of his family. 

Coleman was due to appear in court on Thursday, but spent the night at Bloomfield Hospital instead and Ms McIlveen said he had promised to follow the directions of doctors.

“He hadn’t refilled his scripts because he had a relationship breakdown two weeks ago,” she said.

Ms McIlveen said her client would take his medication, would seek treatment for cannabis use and would report daily to police should he be given bail.

Coleman will reappear in court in May.