Man accused of stealing $10K from 83yo cancer patient outside bank

A 31-year-old man has been granted conditional bail after allegedly robbing an 83-year-old cancer patient of $10,000 outside a bank on the NSW Mid North Coast. The court heard the elderly victim intended to use the withdrawn cash for his cancer treatment.

Dylan Benton is accused of assaulting the man and stealing the money after the victim withdrew it from a Commonwealth Bank branch at Park Beach Plaza in Coffs Harbour on Wednesday afternoon. The 83-year-old suffered minor injuries and received medical attention at the scene.

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This is serious offending, where an elderly man attended a bank and withdrew a large sum of money to pay for cancer treatment. When the money was taken from him, he fell over and sustained some injuries as a result of trying to hold onto the money.

During a bail hearing, Acting Judge Sharon Wills acknowledged the seriousness of the charges, including aggravated armed robbery and inflicting actual bodily harm. She noted the victim's vulnerability and the distressing circumstances of the alleged offense.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Konstantin Suntsov opposed bail, citing Benton's risk to the community and his current community corrections order for dealing with proceeds of crime. However, defense lawyer Barbara Lu argued that bail conditions could mitigate risks. Judge Wills granted bail with strict conditions, including reporting to police twice weekly in Coonamble and avoiding the bank and its vicinity. Benton is scheduled to appear in court again next week.

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The defendant is serving a CCO and is continuing to reoffend.