A BOURNEMOUTH man has been charged with a spate of alleged robberies at bookmakers this week.

David Hinde, 34, was charged yesterday with three counts of robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and threatening persons with a blade or sharply pointed instrument.

The first alleged raid took place at Ladbrokes in Christchurch Road, Boscombe East/Pokesdown, where the store was said to have been held up by a suited man wielding a hammer.

The following day Coral in Castle Lane West was said to have been targeted by a robber armed with a knife, and on Friday a man was arrested in the Portsmouth area following an alleged raid at Ladbrokes in Leith Avenue, Portchester.

CCTV footage was released in connection with the first two incidents, and police initially said they believed the same man carried out both attacks.

Hinde has been remanded into police custody to appear at Bournemouth Magistrates Court on Monday morning.