A teenager allegedly caught trying to rob the Burns Club in Kambah with a hatchet told police he did not remember anything about the events leading up to his arrest, a court has heard.
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Benjamin Thomas Joyce, 18, and two other teenagers, Lochlan Hinder and William John Callan, were armed with knives and a hatchet and were dressed in disposable overalls, gloves and masks when they were arrested outside the south Canberra club last week.
Another pair of teens - Harley Dean Stott, also known as Boardman, and Christopher Rowland - were arrested nearby in Joyce's car which was allegedly the getaway vehicle.
The five young men, all aged 18 or 19, face charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
But the ACT Magistrates Court heard Joyce told police he had no recollection of the events of the evening and couldn't remember anything leading up to the arrest.
The court heard police were concerned that Joyce would flee the territory if he was granted bail.
Constable Michael Woodburn told the court Joyce had just one family connection - an aunt - in Canberra and had previously lived in a tent or with his friend Harley Stott in Kambah.
He told the court there were fears Joyce could interfere with witnesses or contact other suspects.
Joyce's defence lawyer said her client's family had moved to the Northern Territory recently but he had been offered a place to stay with his aunt in Red Hill.
She said there was less risk of Joyce absconding from Canberra or contacting other witnesses because police had seized his car and his mobile phone.
Magistrate Maria Doogan said it was frightening to think that five young people would go about armed with meat cleavers and hatchets for robbery and the prosecution case appeared strong.
She marked the case as a major matter and refused Joyce bail.