A TEENAGER accused of having a gel blaster gun on him outside a hotel in the Newcastle CBD has spent the weekend in custody.
Kale David George faced an out-of-session court hearing before a registrar on Sunday where he was refused bail to front Newcastle Local Court on Monday.
The 19-year-old was arrested near the King Street hotel after management called Newcastle police at about 2.30am on Saturday.
Officers were responding to reports a man allegedly "had a firearm", and said they discovered he was in possession of a black gel blaster when they searched him.
George was taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged.
He faces allegations of possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing an unauthorised pistol, hindering or resisting police, being armed with intent, and two charges related to being excluded from a licensed premised.
He has not been required to enter pleas.
King Street released a public statement on the incident in the hours after it unfolded.
The statement said security staff had been made aware a young man who was refused entry to the hotel and asked to leave the area "may have been carrying a weapon".
Management dialled triple zero and police swiftly arrived at the scene, it said.
"The front doors of the hotel were closed as a safety precaution so no patrons could exit onto the footpath," the statement said.
"We would like to thank the security staff who deescalated the situation and remained calm, and our staff and management for executing procedures and acting quickly to ensure the safety of our patrons."
