A Perth magistrate has told a man accused of trying to lure a schoolgirl into his car that he’ll need to enter a plea at his next court appearance.

Ryan Ashley Darken, 37, appeared in Rockingham Magistrates Court on Monday morning via video link from Hakea Prison.

He’s been held there since his arrest on Friday, July 21, when he allegedly tried to entice a nine-year-old girl into his silver ute outside the girl’s school in Perth’s south about 8.40am.

A parent witnessed the alleged incident and alerted the school, police say. The girl was later found in distress at a Port Kennedy shopping centre.

Mr Darken’s lawyer didn’t appear in person on Monday but in a letter to the court requested a further six-week adjournment.

The magistrate granted the request but told Mr Darken “matters will need to move along because of the types of charges these are”, instructing him to enter a plea at his next hearing in the same court on October 23.

“They should be dealt with quickly,” the magistrate said.

Mr Darken has been charged with detaining another with intent to do harm, deprivation of liberty, assault, and making threats.

He did not apply for bail at his first hearing in Perth Magistrates Court on July 22, nor did he try to apply on Monday.