ACCUSED armed robber Jesse Nikolovski has pleaded not guilty to holding up two pubs at Hamilton and attempting to stick up another at Waratah during an alleged month-long crime spree last year that police say netted him nearly $80,000 in cash.
Mr Nikolovski, who is represented by solicitor Mark Ramsland, appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of armed robbery, one of attempted armed robbery, four counts of dealing with the proceeds of crime and possession of an unauthorised pistol.
Mr Nikolovski will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month where he will be arraigned and get a trial date, likely in 2024.
Detectives allege Mr Nikolovski was the masked man armed with either a knife or a firearm who attempted to hold up the Royal Inn at Waratah on July 3 before robbing The Exchange Hotel at Hamilton on July 8 and The Bennett Hotel at Hamilton on August 7.
Police allege Mr Nikolovski's approach was always the same; he would hide in the shadows outside of a pub until closing time only to emerge when staff members had locked up and began walking to their cars.
Then Mr Nikolovski would allegedly produce a weapon - a 30 centimetre blade - or say he had a gun and order the staff members back inside where he would ransack the safe.
But on the first attempt at Waratah, the staff did not have keys to get back in and Mr Nikolovski was allegedly forced to flee empty handed.
The day after The Exchange Hotel was robbed and the thief stole more than $43,000, detectives allege Mr Nikolovski was captured on CCTV at West Leagues Club feeding $50 notes into a poker machine and later printing a ticket to collect.
Detectives allege he was "laundering" or cleaning the proceeds of the robbery.
Mr Nikolovski is accused of doing a similar thing at a hotel at Charlestown the day after The Bennett Hotel was robbed and a thief stole $36,000.
Mr Nikolovski was arrested on August 9 after a siege in Hamilton, during which he is accused of destroying evidence and lighting a fire in the bathroom.
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