It is alleged Mr Saunders also used a weapon to try to prevent being arrested after the stolen Mercedes he and three teenagers were in rammed police in Alexandria on Wednesday evening. Dean Saunders appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, charged with multiple offences. Credit:Facebook He is also charged with taking and driving the Mercedes without consent, driving without having ever been licensed, resisting arrest and possessing cannabis. Dressed in prison greens, he rubbed his eyes and face repeatedly during the hearing. He did not apply for bail and it was refused.

He will reappear at Central Local Court on August 9, when, the court heard, he will possibly apply for bail. Loading Mr Saunders' social media profile repeatedly references "BFL" and "Brothers for Life", the now-defunct crime gang led by jailed killer Bassam Hamzy. The Sydney Morning Herald is not suggesting Mr Saunders is actually associated with, or a member of, the Brothers for Life gang. There have been recent media reports of Illawarra criminals trying to resurrect the gang.

The three teenagers, two aged 16 and one 17, were refused bail. They did not appear before a Children's Court on Thursday morning and had their matters adjourned to August 9. One 16-year-old boy was charged with armed robbery, resisting police, taking and driving a conveyance without the consent of the owner, and breaching bail. The other 16-year-old boy was charged with armed robbery, resisting police, taking and driving a conveyance without the consent of the owner, and aggravated break, enter and steal. The 17-year-old was charged with taking and driving a conveyance without the consent of the owner and two counts of aggravated break, enter and steal. On Wednesday, just after 5.30pm, a silver Mercedes AMG was spotted by police on Euston Lane in Alexandria.