man was bashed by a bikie gang member while sitting in his car at Seven Hills on the weekend and required hospital treatment.

The 40-year-old man was sitting in his car on Artillery Crescent, about 10am on Saturday, when he was attacked.

Police said the victim had accidentally bumped his car horn when a man in the passenger seat of a four-wheel drive behind him got out and attacked him.

Officers said the 28-year-old attacker punched the victim in the face repeatedly and kicked his car before driving away.

The attacker, who police said was a member of the Bandidos bikie gang, then returned to the scene and continued to bash the victim while he waited for police and paramedics.

When police arrived they found the alleged attacker nearby and charged him with common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray, and breach of bail.

He will appear at Blacktown Local Court this week.

Mining tycoon's $500,000 car found burnt

Mining magnate Nathan Tinkler is hoping an arrest will be made soon over the theft and destruction of his $500,000 Ferrari after a break-in at his home.

The high-performance car was found burnt-out in bushland off the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace, north of Newcastle, at about 2.30pm (AEST) on Monday.

'We hope there's an arrest very soon,' a spokesman for Mr Tinkler told AAP.

Police have taken what's left of the burnt-out vehicle for forensic examination.

Tinkler, the owner of the Newcastle Knights rugby league team, and his family were asleep when thieves broke into their Merewether beachside mansion sometime between 11pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday.

The burglars made off with a stash of family property including watches, laptop computers and a digital camera.

They also took the keys to the 2010 black Ferrari California, which is believed to be one of only five in Australia.

The family slept through the robbery and no one was injured.

There is speculation the robbery may have been carried out by youths, although police have not confirmed this.

 

Drugs in blood of leagues club brawl

A man who died in a melee at the St George Leagues Club in Sydney on grand final night had traces of amphetamine in his blood, an inquest has heard.

In the early hours of October 4 last year, rugby league fan Steven Bosevski died after he was laid face down by police and handcuffed following an altercation at the club.

The cause of his death was described as 'resulting from the combined effects of hypertensive heart disease and methylamphetamine toxicity'.

Ian McClintock SC, counsel assisting the coroner, said Mr Bosevski was 'morbidly obese', weighing 134kg and standing 181cm tall.

He said the inquest would look at how his 'fragile medical state' led to his death and whether the use of capsicum spray in his vicinity had any effect on his condition.

It would also consider the issue of overcrowding at the club on the night of the NRL grand final game, whether there was any credible evidence that Mr Bosevski was tasered by police, and whether the force used by police officers was reasonable.

The court would also hear whether Mr Bosevski being placed on the ground by police officers and the use of pressure to his back or other parts of his body could have had any effect on his medical condition, Mr McClintock said.

The inquest before Deputy Coroner Paul MacMahon is continuing.

 

Melbourne shootings escalate fears of a violent clan feud

SHOTS have been fired across a Melbourne playground in the latest violent outbreak of what police believe is a feud between warring families.

Several shootings and a firebombing have occurred in Melbourne's north in the last nine days.

Early today, at Sunset Boulevard at Jacana, shots were fired into a house in which a number of people, including at least two children, were sleeping.

As the gunman fled, an occupant of the house ran to his own car and gave chase to a children's playground at nearby Glenroy, where more shots were exchanged.

No one was injured in the shootings, which occurred at about 5.30am.

Police believe this morning's violence is linked to a recent spate of attacks between apparently feuding families, with shots fired at the same house last Thursday.

“We believe this is a targeted incident directed at that house and not a wider community issue,” Detective Superintendant Kevin Sheridan said.




“It is certainly a concern to us that these shootings do continue and we're making every effort to detect who the offenders are and prosecute them.”

Over the past nine days, five violent incidents have occurred at the Sunset Boulevard house and at a home in the nearby suburb of Coolaroo, which was last week rammed with a truck and had an explosive device tossed through a window.

Supt Sheridan said police were looking for a white sports car and dark-coloured sedan seen in the vicinity of this morning's shooting. He appealed to the families for help.

“If the families involved in these (shootings) would like to come forward and assist police in investigations we would certainly welcome that.

“We have interviewed them all extensively but any further assistance would certainly be welcome to bring these events to a close,” he said.

 

MAN will face court after police found guns, ammunition and drugs at a home in Wetherill Park today.

About 8.30am Strike Force Raptor officers searched the premises and seized three pistols, two shotguns, ammunition and quantity of amphetamine and cannabis.

A 63-year-old man was arrested at the scene and was taken to Fairfield police station.

He was charged with multiple counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol, possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing ammunition without a licence, possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of not keeping firearms safe.

The man was granted conditional bail to face Fairfield Local Court on July 18.

Strike Force Raptor is a proactive police operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs and their alleged associated criminal enterprises.

AT least three shots have been fired from a sports car at another car in Melbourne's north.

Witnesses have told police two men travelling in a Mercedes-Benz along Pascoe Vale Rd, Glenroy, fired the shots at a black Astra or Barina about 4.20pm (AEST) today.

Police believe no shots were fired from the targeted vehicle.

No one was apparently hurt and no arrests have been made.

A Hells Angels bikie has been killed after crashing his Harley Davidson in Sydney's inner west.

Police say he was riding through Stanmore around 1am Sunday morning when he lost control on Trafalgar Street and hit a parked car.

He was thrown from his bike and died before paramedics arrived.

A friend riding with him at the time has been questioned by police.

They want to speak to anyone else who saw the motorbike leading up to the crash.

Two members of the New Boys street gang have gone on trial after a brawl outside an Adelaide tattoo parlour in April last year.

The men, Vincenzo Focarelli and Michael Syfris, were allegedly involved in a fight with members of rival group the Hells Angels outside a Hindley Street tattoo parlour.

The pair pleaded not guilty to the charge of affray.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court was shown security vision which allegedly shows the accused men outside the tattoo parlour before they were approached by members of the Hells Angels.

The prosecution alleges Focarelli swung a metal pole at the group and Syfris used a chair to hit a man.

Focarelli's lawyer, Sam Abbott, argued the men were acting in self-defence against what he described as a "full frontal all-out attack" on his client.

POLICE swarmed Geelong yesterday as hundreds of Black Uhlans bikies gathered to farewell one of their own.

A huge police presence, with officers on the roads and in the sky, greeted the Uhlans and confused and worried local residents as the bikies met at their clubhouse in Belmont to send off Bell Park man Jeff Julian.

The 37-year-old died after losing control of his Harley Davidson while riding at Lara on June 6.

Planning for the worst, detectives and general duties officers joined their highway patrol colleagues and officers from the special response teams and mounted police in flocking to Skilled Stadium yesterday morning.

The football ground acted as the police base for the day.

Mourners many donning black armbands honouring their lost brother "Jeffro" began arriving at the Grayling St clubhouse hours before official proceedings began.


About eight police cars parked near the intersection of Barwon Heads Rd throughout the service, watching for any signs of trouble.

Others lined streets nearby, while a police helicopter hovered over the clubhouse from the sky.

When it was time for the hundreds of Uhlans to begin their procession to Eastern Cemetery, extra police resources flooded on to the scene.

The Uhlans formed a guard of honour to allow Mr Julian's coffin, carefully placed on a motorcycle sidecar and bearing the club's flag, to pass before they roared out behind the casket in droves.

Police in high-visibility vests stood along the major arterials of Barwon Heads Rd, La Trobe Tce, Ryrie St and Boundary Rd, while others followed behind the procession on police motorcycles and marked and unmarked cars and vans. The spectacle generated strong interest from passers-by and Geelong motorists, with many drivers' afternoons interrupted by the farewell, which slowed traffic considerably.

A MAN and a pregnant woman were rushed to hospital after a shooting on the Gold Coast believed to be linked to bikie gangs.

The man, 42, was shot in the shoulder at a house on the Tamborine-Oxenford Road at Wongawallan in the Gold Coast hinterland about 6.20pm after two men entered the property, reported the Courier Mail.

He was taken by ambulance to the Gold Coast Hospital.

The shooting is understood to be bikie-related. The victim and his partner were believed to have been tied up. A child was also present when the man was shot.




Officers from Taskforce Hydra, which investigates the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs, were being called into the investigation.

Police regional duty officer Inspector Paul Reynolds said a man had been shot in the chest and had been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"It's in the very early stages of the investigation and we're still getting full versions from the people involved to ascertain exactly what happened," he said.

 A pregnant woman, 39, who was at the house, was also being taken to hospital 'as a precaution', a Department of Emergency Services spokeswoman said.

She said the man was in a stable condition.

Police are seeking public assistance in locating the two men who are believed to be driving a late 90s model white Holden utility, believed to be fitted with mag wheels and in good condition

Three more charges have been laid against a Rebels motorcycle gang member who already faced a charge of possessing methamphetamine for supply

.

Bernard Monk, 32, of Whangarei Heads, was again remanded in custody to re-appear in the Whangarei District Court for a bail application on July 1.

He was charged with possessing methamphetamine for supply, possessing precursor substances and resisting police when he first appeared in court on May 25.

Three more charges - possessing P for supply, assaulting police and wilfully obstructing/resisting/deceiving an officer were laid yesterday.

Possession of methamphetamine for supply, which is a class A drug, carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Monk entered no plea and was bailed to appear in Whangarei District Court on June 16.

Two others, Warren Henwood and Nicholas Nordstrand, who face similar charges, were remanded in custody and will also re-appear for a bail hearing on July 1.

A FINK and three Hells Angels associates have been arrested after a violent bikie brawl in Hindley St in May.

Police said 16 men had been charged now with aggravated riot after the fight at the City nightclub on May 29.

Members of the public dobbed in the latest men to be arrested, police said.

Crime Gangs Task Force Detective Inspector Steve Taylor said the investigations were ongoing and he thanked the public for their help.

"The response from the public to help identify those involved in this crime has been overwhelming," Det-Insp Taylor said.

"More than 5,500 people have watched the clip on www.youtube.com/sapolicenews .

"I'd like to thank members of the public for their help."

Police released images of two men who are still wanted in connection to the fight.




"If anyone knows these men, or has information on where they may be located, please contact BankSA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," he said.

"Violent bikie behaviour will not be tolerated."

The four arrested men have been released on strict bail conditions and will be jointly charged with the initial twelve arrests.

Heavily armed police have raided four properties linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang in Melbourne's north this morning.

A senior member of the Nomad chapter of the Hell's Angels is in custody following the raids in Thomastown, Greensborough and Bundoora about 8am today.

Police are believed to have blasted their way into a heavily fortified property in Thomastown, believed to be the headquarters of the Nomad chapter.

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A Hell's Angels warehouse in Thomastown. Photo: File photo
"We were required to force entry to those premises. I can't really go into detail as to how we did it," Superintendent Doug Fryer told radio 3AW today.

"This is part of our ongoing focus around outlaw motorcycle gang criminality and certainly Victoria Police is continuing to take affirmative action to prevent, detect and disrupt organised criminality among OMCG clubs, an we will continue to do so."

Police are still searching the properties this morning.

suspicious fire at a tattoo shop in Perth's north has left an estimated $200,000 damage bill.

A suspicious fire at a tattoo shop in Perth's north has left an estimated $200,000 damage bill.

Firefighters were called to the parlour in Mullaloo about 1am (WST) on Sunday.

Police say the front window of the shop was smashed in and accelerant was thrown inside and set alight.

The shop is believed to be owned by a member of the Rebels bikie gang and police say they have not ruled out the possibility of outlaw motorcycle gangs being involved in the incident.

Neighbouring businesses were also damaged by the blaze, police said.

The arson squad were at the scene on Sunday to investigate the fire.

police Armed Offenders Squad were part of a raid on a Whangarei property where bags of methamphetamine were found and a patched Rebels motorcycle gang member was arrested.

The police Armed Offenders Squad were part of a raid on a Whangarei property where bags of methamphetamine were found and a patched Rebels motorcycle gang member was arrested.

Whangarei police busted their way into a Herekino St property on Friday where they found three men and bags of methamphetamine with a street value of up to $15,000.

No firearms were discovered at the property there was $4000 cash found.

Three local men were arrested and are jointly charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply. They were held in custody and were scheduled to appear in Whangarei District Court on Monday where police were opposing their bail.

Other drug related paraphernalia was found at the property.

Not on my patch, MP tells gangs

TOUGH-talking National MP Todd McClay is taking aim at the gangs.

The Rotorua-based MP wants to introduce a private member's bill that will ban gang patches from all property that government departments own or rent.

McClay intends to put his bill in the Parliamentary ballot this week and says once it is drawn its introduction is a formality, because he already has the numbers to vote it in.

"This is one more step towards making the life of gang members difficult," McClay told Sunday News.

"This is about recognising victims, the rights of victims, and putting them before criminals. It's one more step towards finding a way of getting rid of them because they are just criminal organisations as far as I am concerned."

He said his proposed law had been 18 months in the making, but when it was passed gangs would be stripped of the patches they wore.

"They wear their patches and other insignia as a mark of pride.

"It identifies the wearer as someone who is involved in crime, and who has probably had to commit crime for the right to wear that patch."

But his law would mean fines of up to $2000 for those who broke it.

It would also give police officers the right to confiscate and destroy patches and other insignia.

The High Court recently ruled a gang patch ban in Whanganui was unlawful.

That bylaw, introduced by the Whanganui council, had been in place for 18 months before it was struck out because it covered too much of the city.

McClay said his legislation had been written in a way to avoid legal challenges, clearly stating which buildings and property, including car parks, it would apply to.

Gang patches would be out in state-funded schools, hospitals, airports and government departments such as Winz, ACC, Housing NZ, Sport and Recreation NZ, Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Maori Development.

McClay said he was talking to officials from hospitals around the country, who told him it was common for gang members to wear their patches into wards when visiting family or friends.

"They may not necessarily have any intent while visiting, but it must be very uncomfortable for parents or staff caring for other sick children to see that," he said.

He was also aware of "intimidation" inflicted on workers in a range of government departments when visited by patch-wearing gang members.

The ban would stop short of banning patches from the 66,000 state houses owned or managed by Housing NZ and, while it would cover all buildings on Conservation Department property, it would not cover blocks of native bush.

"If a number of idiot gang members want to stand in the bush somewhere with their patches on, good on them," McClay said.

Opponents of the Whanganui bylaw argued it was a breach of civil rights and freedom of expression but McClay said he had no sympathy with those who were offended by his proposed legislation.

"I will put the rights of law-abiding citizens before criminals every day of the week. There will be those who will say it's an infringement but these are gangs, people who attack old ladies in the streets or sell drugs."

McClay said his bill would provide police with another "tool" to tackle gang-related crime.

 

POLICE will continue a manhunt for bikies involved in a brawl between the Hells Angels and the Finks.

Yesterday 170 Crime Gangs officers raided 20 homes and arrested 12 "patch" members or associates of the outlaw clubs who, police say, took part in a brawl at the City Nightclub, Hindley St, about 5am.

They were charged under the Aggravated Riot laws that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

The brawl took place just hours after the United Motorcycle Clubs staged a ride south of Adelaide to mark unity between bikie clubs.

Crime Gangs officers yesterday warned bikies not to seek reprisals and appealed to those associating with bikies to walk away before it was too late.

"Unless you want a life of violence, a life of crime where you are going to get a lot of attention from police and other gangs, I suggest you cut all ties to the club before it's too late," Detective Inspector Steve Taylor said. "The reality is, there's always opportunity for retaliations or reprisals, but the message is very simple from police  ...  (don't) engage in any sort of behaviour because we have a number of strategies in place to mitigate any risk."




Police say Sunday's brawl was sparked by a fight between a Hells Angels member and a Finks bikies outside The Firm nightclub, North Tce, an hour earlier. Both were arrested and charged over the fight.

The subsequent brawl, between 25 bikies, left four men in hospital - including one who had 16 staples in a head wound - and was captured on security vision handed to police.

Police say they uncovered a cache of weapons - including crossbows and knuckledusters - and illegal drugs, including amphetamines and steroids at the Finks' clubrooms and $16,500 in cash.

Insp Taylor said the violence was common among bikies.

"It's a stark contrast to the image (bikies) portrayed the day before with the (clubs) run when they portrayed an image of one of unity and camaraderie," he said. "The face we saw on Sunday morning is what we say is the true face of bikies."

The accused men were bailed to appear in court later.

Bikies arrested after SA nightclub brawl

Adelaide police have arrested 12 men connected with two bikie gangs after a violent brawl at a city nightclub was captured by security cameras.

Police said 13 members of the Hells Angels and 12 members of the Finks clashed violently about 5am on May 29 at the Hindley Street venue.

They attacked each other with bottles, glasses, metal bollards and heavy metal bar stools, with several members of the group suffering serious head injuries.


Detective Inspector Steve Taylor, from the Crime Gangs Task Force, said the incident showed the true nature of the relationship between bikie gangs.

While they had recently portrayed themselves as law-abiding citizens who were united in the fight against SA's anti-gang laws, the opposite was actually the truth, he said.

"These pictures show members of motorcycle gangs are not ordinary citizens who ride motorcycles on weekends as a fun get together," Det Insp Taylor said.

"They are not unified, they are violent offenders who have no problem playing out their differences in public.

"This violence has included shootings, bombings and stabbings."

Det Insp Taylor said it was lucky no one was killed in the latest incident.

No arrests were made on the night, with police launching a major investigation involving about 170 officers.

They raided clubrooms operated by both the Finks and the Hells Angels on Friday.

Those arrested included seven members of the Finks, including the club's sergeant-at-arms, one member of the Hells Angels and four people associated with the Hells Angels.

They were all charged with aggravated riot, a recently introduced offence which carries a 10-year maximum jail term.

The 12 were granted police bail on strict conditions and will appear in court at a later date.

 

"I shanked him" and dropped a knife in a drain as he fled the scene,

One of six Comanchero bikies accused of murdering a man in a brawl at Sydney airport said "I shanked him" and dropped a knife in a drain as he fled the scene, a jury has heard.

The short and unexpected fight, sparked by a "chance encounter" of rival gang members, culminated in the death of Anthony Zervas, the brother of Hells Angel Peter Zervas.

The court was told Mr Zervas was attacked with bollards, kicked, punched and stomped on as he lay on the floor of the domestic terminal.

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He suffered "massive head injuries and stab wounds", Crown Prosecutor Natalie Adams said in her opening address in the NSW Supreme Court trial on Wednesday.

Comanchero bikies Mahmoud Hawi, Farres Abounader, Canan Eken, Zoran Kisacanin, Christian Menzies and Usama Potrus, have pleaded not guilty to murdering 29-year-old Mr Zervas in the March 2009 altercation.

Hells Angel David Padovan has denied a single charge of riot.

Ms Adams told the court Comanchero members travelling from Melbourne to Sydney "by chance" recognised Hells Angels boss Derek Wainohu on the same flight.

Hawi, the former Comanchero national president, stared and growled at Mr Wainohu before each side called for reinforcements, the court heard.

Anthony Zervas and his brother had been helping paint a house when they received a message to head for the airport.

Meanwhile, Comanchero members also began making their way there.

An altercation occurred at Gate 5, allegedly sparked by Hawi or Mr Wainohu, who one witness said "got punched" and fell to the ground.

Mr Wainohu didn't take any further part in the violence, the crown said.

According to another witness, Hawi threatened the retreating Hells Angels, saying: "You're a dead man walking".

A second brawl broke out and moved through the check-in area as airport staff and passengers looked on, but there was no clear CCTV footage of the assault because the nearest camera wasn't working that day, the court heard.

But Ms Adams said evidence suggested the victim "was involved in the fighting from the start and was chased by Comanchero as the fighting erupted".

One witness described seeing Mr Zervas "swing at Hawi in an upward direction" resulting in Hawi being cut on the arm.

Others have described seeing up to five bollards in the air at the same time, and up to four men attacking Mr Zervas, who had a high level of cocaine in his system, the court heard.

Hawi's DNA was found under the victim's fingernails and broken scissor handles were located near the body, with the remainder of the scissors embedded in his jacket.

As the men fled, Menzies is alleged to have to have admitted "he thought he killed him" while Abounader allegedly said to an associate "I shanked him, I want to drop it", before discarding a knife in a drain.

Ms Adams said the crown case is that both scissors and a knife could have been used to inflict the stab wounds.

The trial, before Justice Robert Allan Hulme, is expected to last six months.

Six members of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club and one member of the Hells Angels went on trial

Six members of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club and one member of the Hells Angels went on trial in the Supreme Court in Parramatta this morning charged over a violent brawl at Sydney Airport in 2009 in which a man was killed.

On trial before Justice Robert Hulme are Mahmoud Hawi, 30, Farres Abounader, 29, Canan Eken, 28, Zoran Kisacanin, 24, Christian Menzies, 28, and Usama Potrus, 28.

Each has been charged with murder and riot and four have been additionally charged with affray.

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The seventh man, David Padovan, 27, a member of the Hells Angels, has been charged with riot and affray.

The jury, empanelled this week from a pool of 3000 people, comprises eight men and seven women. Of these 15, 12 will eventually deliver verdicts in the trial, which is expected to take up to six months.

In her opening address, Crown prosecutor Natalie Adams went through the events at Gate 5 and at the check-in area at Sydney Airport's Domestic Terminal on March 22, 2009.

She went through the account of five Comanchero boarding a plane to Sydney and when they arrived recognised the president of the Hells Angels, Derek Wainohu.

She told the jury that there were a series of telephone calls and text messages and the result of that was that seven Hells Angels confronted a group of Comanchero at the airport and there was a violent confrontation seen by staff and other onlookers.

She said that, before the altercation, Anthony Zervas’s brother Peter was summoned by text message to come to the airport. Antony came with him.

Ms Adams said that Anthony Zervas, who was not a Hells Angel, had died of head injuries and stabbing and that the attack on him had continued when he was on the ground.

Bikie said he 'shanked' rival, court hears

ONE of the alleged participants in the riot at Sydney Airport in 2009 admitted as he left the scene he had ''shanked'' Anthony Zervos, who lay dying behind him, before dropping the knife into a drain, counsel told the Supreme Court at Parramatta yesterday.

Natalie Adams, opening for the Crown before Justice Robert Hulme, said that Zervos had gone to the airport with his brother Peter on March 22, 2009, to support the national president of the Hells Angels, Derek Wainohu. He had joined Peter and four other Hells Angels in confronting 12 members of the Comanchero gang. But he had fallen or been knocked down, had been bashed with a bollard and stabbed several times, two of the stab wounds going through his right lung.

Ms Adams said that in August 2009, police recovered a knife from a drain. No DNA profile was found on it but its discovery was consistent with what a Comanchero gang member, Farres Abounader, had allegedly told his colleague on the day of the fight.

 

MOTORCYCLE gangs across Geelong have been put on notice as part of a police crackdown on outlaw bikies.

Victoria Police yesterday unveiled the Echo Taskforce, a unit created to investigate and prevent outlaw motorcycle gang crime.

Geelong biker Kim Sloan, one of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club's "several" national secretaries, confirmed police had already been in contact with local groups in the lead-up to yesterday's launch.

Mr Sloan said the "friendly reminder" related to ensuring bikers obeyed the law during poker runs and other club activities. He was not particularly concerned by the creation of a taskforce to target motorcycle gangs.

"There's not that much in it (the taskforce), really. We're fine with the police, they're cool," he said.

"This is just expected because of the new government in Victoria and because it was an election promise.

"I think it's a little over the top but it's the Government's directive for the police to do this, so we're not going to take it personally."

The crackdown includes a ban on outlaw bikie gangs fortifying their clubhouses.

There are 24 bikie gangs with 56 clubhouses across Victoria.

A government spokesman said the draft laws would include anti-fortification provisions to stop outlaw bikie gangs setting up clubhouses fortified by protective barricades.

"The Government expects the legislation to be introduced this year," the spokesman said.

The National Crime Authority has in the past reported that the main source of income for bikie gangs revolved around the importation of firearms, drug trafficking, counterfeiting, tax evasion, extortion, money laundering and trafficking in stolen goods. These claims are disputed by most motorcycle clubs.

Geelong hasn't had a major motorcycle gang incident for the past two years. However, a torrid stretch from 2007 to 2009 featured drive-by shootings, a suspected turf war and police raids.

Motorcycle gang crime in Geelong came to a head with the fatal shooting of Bandidos member Ross Brand on October 22, 2008.

In March this year, John Bedson was jailed for 23 years for Mr Brand's murder. His brother Derek was jailed for 12 years for his part in the shooting.

Echo Taskforce member Detective Superintendent Doug Fryer said police would crack down on organised crime, firearms offences, drug activity, illegal links to the alcohol industry and brothels, and any other offences committed by outlaw patched bikies.

"We're obviously aware that not all bikies are involved in organised criminality but those that are will be subject to investigations by Victoria Police," Det Supt Fryer said.

"We're not talking about people who just ride bikes, we're talking about people who brand themselves as outlaws and as outlaw motorcycle gangs. Many of them and most of them have a patch on their jacket of a 1 per cent. The 1 per cent represents that they are the one per cent of the community who are outside the laws and standards of the community."

Major bikie gangs in Geelong include the Bandidos, Rebels, Black Uhlans and Death before Dishonour.

Bikie stabbed with broom in prison brawl

ROCK Machine bikie charged over the attempted murder of Rebels bikie president Nick Martin has allegedly been stabbed in the neck with a broom in prison.

The 30-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was seriously injured during a brawl at Casuarina Prison yesterday, Perth Now reports.

The man was allegedly wounded some time between 4pm and 5pm (WST), and was taken to hospital for surgery.

A Department of Corrective Services spokeswoman told Perth Now police were investigating the incident.

In recent months, a tattoo shop was firebombed, bikies were assaulted and explosives were seized.

The injured Rock Machine bikie is facing charges of attempted murder, wilfully destroying evidence and possessing an unlicensed firearm.

Police allege he went to Mr Martin's home on March 18 and fired a gun twice in a drive-by shooting.

One shot hit Mr Martin in the elbow while the second struck a motorcycle at the house.

Police allege the accused later set a car on fire to destroy evidence.

 

MAN accused of shooting dead a nominee of the Rebels bikie gang at his Dianella home last year could stand trial for murder in November

MAN accused of shooting dead a nominee of the Rebels bikie gang at his Dianella home last year could stand trial for murder in November, a court has heard.

Kaine Phillip McNamara, of Bicton, has been charged with the murder of 39-year-old father of two Mario Perrin.

Mr Perrin, who was a nominee for membership of the Rebels bikie gang, died in hospital after being shot in the head at his home in October last year.

Mr McNamara, 32, has been charged over the shooting and has been held in custody for seven months.

Today Mr McNamara appeared in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via video link from Casuarina Prison.

The court was told that a ballistics trajectory report pertaining to the case was yet to be finished and that the trial would take up to three weeks.

Magistrate Jan Whitbread listed Mr McNamara’s case for a provisional trial date beginning on November 14.

lawyer for a former member of the Coffin Cheaters bikie gang says he intends to plead not guilty to an attempted murder charge.

Mark Raymond Hinchliff is accused of shooting Scott Paul Williams in the head and cutting his throat at a North Yunderup property earlier this month.

His lawyer told the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court his client will plead not guilty and intends to apply for bail at a later stage.

Mr Hinchliff was remanded in custody and is due back in court next month.

South Australian man was arrested and charged overnight after police allegedly uncovered about 15 kilograms of cannabis in his car near Kununurra.

Detectives intercepted the 63-year-old man in his Ford utility at the Ord River Roadhouse, and officers searched his vehicle alleging to have uncovered a large quantity of cannabis.

The street value of the haul is estimated at $400,000.

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The man will appear in Kununurra Magistrate's Court this morning, charged with possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.

Police would not confirm if this latest drug find is related to a number of recent arrests of Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Gang members who had allegedly been using truck drivers to bring large quantities of cannabis into WA from South Australia.

On April 7, three South Australian truck drivers and a 41-year-old Kalgoorlie man with links to the bikie gang have were charged over the seizure of 29.1 kilograms of cannabis, with a street value of close to $1.5 million.

On April 30, two WA men were charged over a 20 kilogram cannabis haul allegedly uncovered in the vehicle of one of the men, estimated to be worth about $500,000.

In addition to this, police also seized about 29 kilograms of South Australian cannabis in WA during March.

Officers attached to Strike Force Raptor arrested a 46-year-old man on Saturday night, after they searched and allegedly found two loaded firearms and a telescopic rifle at a house in Criterion Crescent, Doonside.

Officers attached to Strike Force Raptor arrested a 46-year-old man on Saturday night, after they searched and allegedly found two loaded firearms and a telescopic rifle at a house in Criterion Crescent, Doonside.

Equipment for manufacturing drugs, along with drugs including cannabis and prescription medicines were also found.

Police allege the arrested man, who was charged with offences including two counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm, and three counts of possessing a prohibited drug, is an associate of an outlaw motorcycle gang.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on June 16.

Strike Force Raptor was set up by police to target outlaw motorcycle gangs and alleged associates after an ongoing conflict between the Hells Angels and Comanchero gangs led to the death of 29-year-old Anthony Zervas in March, 2009.

POLICE fear innocent members of the community may get caught up in a bikie war involving rival factions of the Bros outlaw motorcycle gang

POLICE fear innocent members of the community may get caught up in a bikie war involving rival factions of the Bros outlaw motorcycle gang, a court heard.

Loaded firearms, including a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a pump-action shotgun on a Yarraville clubhouse bar, another rifle in a suspect's house and ammunition for a high-powered assault rifle - as well as suspected drugs - were recovered during Operation Indigo search warrants, detective Sen-Constable Justin Wool told Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

Sen-Constable Wool, in opposing bail for alleged gang member Steven Manevski, said he held concerns for community safety because of what he called the Bros gang's ready access to loaded weapons and their contempt for the law in travelling around with them.

Sen-Constable Wool said police believed there was a potential for violence between the Bros' rival Yarraville and Melton chapters, with a Melton clubhouse burned down in suspicious circumstances.

"Someone in the community, as a matter of bad luck, may get caught in the crossfire," he said.

Magistrate Donna Bakos will rule today on whether Mr Manevski, 24, of Wyndhamvale, should be given bail.

Also arrested during last week's raids was Mr Manevski's father, Doug, the alleged president of the Bros, and Theodoros Kosmidis, 25.

The men face a range of firearms and drug-related offences and are yet to indicate a plea or whether the charges will be contested.

Sen-Constable Wool told the court the investigation into the Bros had uncovered evidence of organised crime and that police found a loaded pistol under a car seat when they intercepted Steven and Doug Manevski in a vehicle last Thursday.

With at least four search warrants executed at several locations last Thursday, police also seized 16g of a white, rock-powder substance believed to be illicit drugs, weapons including knuckle-dusters and batons, and a ballistic vest.

THE Rebel Motorcycle Gang has been dealt a major blow with police arresting five members of the group during a major operation on the Central Coast today

About 6am officers from the Gangs Squad, Strike Force Raptor, the Public Order Riot Squad and police from Tuggerah Lakes and Brisbane Water Local Area Command, executed 11 simultaneous raids across the coast during an operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Search warrants were executed by police on both ends of the coast, including three at The Entrance.

There were also raids at Tumbi Umbi, Forresters Beach, Terrigal, Buff Point, Bateau Bay, Mannering Park, Niagara Park and Warners Bay.

Seven people were arrested, including five members of the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and two associates.

Police are expected to lay charges and issue court attendance notices as a result of the operation.

During the raids police seized multiple firearms, including an unregistered .22 calibre rifle, .177 calibre rifle and a .177 calibre pistol, as well as a quantity of ammunition.

Officers also found a quantity of cannabis, steroids, cocaine and amphetamines, 80 oxycontin tablets, $10,700 in cash and a number of other prohibited weapons including a stun gun, laser pointer and slingshot.

Bouncers 'knew bikies' involved in Cottesloe pub death

Police are investigating whether bouncers at a Perth beachside pub allowed outlaw motorcycle gang members access despite management wishing to bar them, hours before a 29-year-old man was allegedly thrown through the pub's second storey window.

A 25-year-old man and associate of the motorcycle gang Rock Machine was charged overnight over the death of the older man, who crashed through the Ocean Beach Hotel's glass pane and plummeted seven metres to the pavement below.

Pub revellers tried helping the injured man, who was found in a pool of blood and broken glass and had suffered serious head and spinal wounds from the fall.



He was treated at the scene before being taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in a critical condition, but died from his injuries in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police were called to the popular Sunday drinking spot on Marine Parade in Cottesloe about 9pm, and after speaking to witnesses tracked down the man they believed responsible.

Major crime detectives said the Rock Machine associate was in the company of up five members of the bikie gang that night.


Police want to speak to the two women who were seen talking to the victim.
A witness told WAtoday.com.au that the bouncers were "friendly" with the gang members and had allowed them into the hotel once before. Management have refused to comment but they were reportedly concerned by the bikies presence in the pub.

Acting Detective Superintendent David Bryson confirmed he had heard such reports and it was "something that we would have to look into".

He alleged the victim was "casually chatting" with two women shortly before an argument erupted between the gang and the man.

A different witness has claimed the man was punched before being thrown at the window.  However Detective Bryson said police were still reviewing CCTV footage and were still trying to determine if more bikie gang members were involved.

"This is a case of a young man on a Sunday night out with his friends having a beer and simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Detective Bryson said.

"This young man did not provoke anyone, this is what we will allege, and he was simply grabbed and thrown through a level two plate glass window, the drop from that window was approximately seven metres."

One witness named "Craig" told radio 6PR he was at the Ocean Beach Hotel but left 10 minutes before the fatal window-push because he had a "gut-feeling" that it was a "good time to leave".

He said a group of about seven people aged in their mid-20s to mid-30s were dancing and having a good time on the pub's second floor when a second group of people entered.

"... when a particular group walked in  I didn't feel comfortable up there, so we left," he said.

"They were big people, they were very solid, a group of three blokes and a couple of females. They seemed very, very agitated."

Detective Superintendent Charlie Carver, of organised and serious crime, said it was concerning that innocent members of the public can become embroiled in fights with gang members at bars and hotels, since gangs "resort straight up with violence".

"The Liquor Act does give (licencees) the power to bar them... but the Rock Machine don't have a patch per say, they have a patch when they feel like it, they bring it out but they don't actually wear the patch every day of week," he said.

"They work on a series of rings and knowledge of their own membership, so that's generally how they work, so to identify them is very difficult.

"But again I can say the licensing enforcement division is looking at certain aspects in relation to a lot of the liquor outlets and members being let in to drink, etc."

It is the second incident of someone going through a window at the pub, a South Australian man was convicted last week of assaulting a patron by causing him to fall out of the lower storey window.

Matthew Angus Morran, 28, was found guilty of assaulting 53-year old Phillip McElhinney and causing him bodily harm by a Perth Magistrate.

The court heard how the older man was shoved, stumbling over chairs and out the window of the hotel, where he suffered serious injuries in October last year.

Morran was fined $4000 and court costs and granted a spent conviction.

Detective Superintendent Jim Migro, of the licensing enforcement division, told Howard Sattler on radio 6PR he could not comment on Sunday's incident but did defend hotels generally.

"Most of the licensees out and about the state actually do, do a pretty good job. Occasionally there are some who don't," he said.

"One of the biggest issues here, as I said before, is that a lot of the people who go to these pubs really have to start taking some accountability for the way that they behave and start to realise they have to be responsible adults and there's more to getting drunk and getting into fights."

He said current research shows that 75 per cent of all alcohol is through bottle shops.

"If people continue on this way, you could very, very well in the future get back to the total prohibition days and nobody wants that type of thing."