Police inflamed bikie brawl: court told
- The Courier-Mail
- May 06, 2015 12:00AM
Gold Coast bikie brawl 'a show of force'
Police body-camera footage played to Southport Magistrates Court yesterday showed officers, Tasers drawn, in an angry confrontation with a large group of Bandidos bikies, screaming threats and obscenities.
“Put your hands behind your back, motherf---er,” one officer is heard to yell.
During tense negotiations to calm the situation, another officer warns a senior bikie: “There’s a lot of young boys (junior police officers) with guns … they’re scared.
“You’ve got to get them (the other bikies) back.”
The footage was played during the trial of Bandido Peter Mauric, who has pleaded not guilty to rioting during the brawl outside the Aura Tapas and Lounge Bar in Broadbeach in September 2013.
Mauric, 45, was one of 10 Bandidos due to face trial this week over the brawl. However, the other nine, including accused ringleader Jacques Teamo, pleaded guilty on Monday.
In evidence yesterday, Aura waitress Sarah Page told the court that she picked up knives and forks seconds before the brawl erupted because she felt “something was about to happen”.
She told of hearing a crash and seeing customers fleeing and police tasering one bikie.
Former Aura photographer Martin Brookes also gave evidence, telling how he switched his camera to video mode to secretly film the brawl.
Mr Brookes said he heard the “very, very loud” rumble of motorbikes and then saw a large group of “very intimidating” bikies.
He said several “serious” bikies walked in and one with a shaved head and tattooed face whistled and told his fellow gang members outside: “Oi, everyone inside.”
Mr Brookes said a fight erupted outside, with Finks bikie rival Jason Trouchet throwing the first punch.
More punches were thrown and tables were knocked over in what was “basically a ruckus”, Mr Brookes told the court.
One police officer who attended the brawl, Constable Brett Tanton, told how he exchanged punches with a Bandido before calling for urgent back-up.
“I deemed it a very dangerous situation,” he said.
“(Bandidos) were screaming at us, yelling at us, telling us to let them go.”
Constable Tanton said he put Trouchet in the back of a police van “for his own safety” after he was surrounded by Bandidos screaming: “There’s JT … he’s a f---ing dog.”
The trial continues.