Brawling bikie back behind bars after breaking his girlfriend’s fingers and toes
A FORMER prize fighter involved in a huge Gold Coast brawl which led to Queensland’s introduction of tough anti-bikie laws is in custody in NSW charged with breaking his girlfriend’s fingers and toes with a vodka bottle.
Jason Trouchet, 41, threw the first punch when he and a second man were confronted by more than 50 Bandidos, most dressed in club colours, while dining at the Aura Tapas and Lounge Bar at Broadbeach on September 2013.
He later pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court to affray and was fined $1000.
The brawl, which sent tables and chairs flying and customers fleeing in fear, prompted the former Campbell Newman Queensland Government to introduce tough anti-bikie laws.
Trouchet is now in custody in NSW for allegedly detaining his girlfriend, aged in her early 20s, for about three hours during which time he is accused of bashing and sexually assaulting her.
Police allege that during the sustained attack Trouchet broke her fingers and toes with a vodka bottle.
The Gold Coast resident has not entered a plea to 10 charges including five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated sexual assault and intentionally choking a person at an address in Zetland, in inner Sydney, on May 6 last year.
He has not applied for bail and it has been formally refused.
The case will return to Central Local Court on February 4 for mention.
Trouchet, who once owned a landscaping business in Darwin, has previously denied being associated with the outlaw motorcycle gang the Finks.
When Trouchet pleaded guilty in 2014 for his part in the Broadbeach brawl he told the court he had “no other option” but to throw the first punch outside the restaurant because he wanted the fight to move away from diners.
The 18 other bikies who pleaded guilty to their part in the brawl also escaped jail terms with some given suspended sentences, others fined and one offender given a good behaviour bond.
A month after the brawl the Newman Government passed new laws in Queensland Parliament which banned members and associates of 26 criminal groups from meeting with each other.
The Labor Palaszczuk Government has set up a task force to review the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act 2013 with the intention of dumping or replacing the laws.