A MAN has appeared in court charged with robbery following a raid on a bank earlier this week.

Jordan Daniel Heslin appeared before Consett Magistrates’ Court this morning, charged with the robbery at the branch of Lloyds in Stanley, County Durham.

The 22-year-old is also facing two charges of assaulting his partner, one in the weeks leading up to the robbery and one in the hours after it.

Mr Heslin, from Edward Terrace in New Kyo, near Stanley, was arrested at an address in Gateshead the morning after the robbery.

The robbery took place at the Front Street bank shortly before 2pm on Tuesday.

Blair Martin, prosecuting, told the court that a customer service manager and three assistants were working behind the counter at the time when a man came into the branch.

He passed over a hand-written note indicating that he had a gun and demanding cash.

Staff handed over £2,140 to the intruder from a cash drawer and the robber then left so quickly that the bank’s automatic doors failed to open and he had to ask staff to let him out.

The defendant spoke only to confirm his personal details and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance.

He was ordered to return before Peterlee Magistrates' Court by video link on April 30 in relation to the two assault charges, following by a hearing at Durham Crown Court on May 8 on the charge of robbery.