Two boys of 16 charged over armed raid at Cooden

They were among four people who appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on Monday accused of an armed robbery at the Cooden Beach railway station shop last Friday night.

Michael Baldwin, 21, of Wishing Tree Road North, Clint Edwards, 19, of Albion Road, North London, a 16-year-old from St Leonards and another from Eastbourne, were jointly charged with robbery of 500 in cash, cigarettes and a hand bag.

The four were were also jointly charged with being in possession of a blank firing pistol and an air pistol and stealing a brief case.

Appeals for bail were made by Richard Body, representing Baldwin and one of the 16-year-olds, Kim Goodall representing Edwards and Alice McCarney, representing the other 16-year-old. Baldwin and the St Leonards 16-year-old were remanded in custody by magistrates until a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, September 27.

The Eastbourne 16-year-old was granted bail on condition he lives and sleeps at an address in Eastbourne, does not enter Hastings, St Leonards or Cooden areas, does not associate with his co-accused, does not contact witnesses and reports daily to police between 10am and 12noon.

Edwards was also granted bail on condition he lives and sleeps at his North London address, does not enter East Sussex except for court hearings, does not associate with the others, does not contact witnesses and reports to police at Stoke Newington daily between 10am and 12 noon and 6-8pm.