TWO Carlisle men have appeared in court accused of robbing a city convenience store security guard, allegedly at knifepoint, on Easter Sunday.

The men charged are David Scott Pattinson, 31, of Baird Avenue, and 38-year-old Dale Thomas Graham, of no fixed address.

Both Pattinson and Graham stand accused of robbing the security guard of goods — including food and alcohol — which are said to have been stolen from inside the Blackwell Road Co-op store in Currock at around 9.10pm on Sunday.

The robbery is alleged to have occurred outside the premises when a knife is said to have been produced by one of the men.

Both are also jointly charged with the alleged theft of an LEX Moto 125cc vehicle, valued at £1,700 and belonging to another man. This is alleged to have been stolen from the St Nicholas Gate retail park on the same day while the owner was at work.

In addition Pattinson faces a charge which alleges the possession of a bladed article — a small knife — without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, at Blackwell Road, also on April 17.

The men appeared separately in the dock at the city’s magistrates’ court earlier today (Tuesday).

Neither man formally entered any pleas to the charges they face. During Graham’s hearing, a prosecutor outlined the alleged events of Sunday.

In response, his lawyer, Jeff Smith, said: “Mr Graham denies, unequivocally, the commission of these offences.”  

The cases of both Graham and Pattinson were sent to Carlisle Crown Court. They are due to appear there in front of a judge on May 17.

In the meantime, both were remanded in custody. An application for bail was made by Mr Smith, for Graham, but was refused.