THE Hunter bikie war was already bubbling
along when Finks enforcer Troy Vanderlight and a member of the
Nomads went toe-to-toe in a car park at Charlestown Square in
January this year.
But by the next day things had escalated
further and Mr Vanderlight’s home was now a target. First it was
shot up, then it was firebombed.
And then, a month later, it was shot up
again, this time with a high-powered rifle.
Mr Vanderlight was at Charlestown to visit
a tattoo parlour for a full day of work to remove a Gladiators
tattoo from his leg, according to documents tendered in the NSW
Supreme Court as part of Serious Crime Prevention Order against
members of the Nomads. The Nomad was a walk in customer. It was
a chance meeting.
On Wednesday, Mr Vanderlight was arrested
and charged with affray in relation to the brawl with the Nomad
at Charlestown on January 14 and participating in a criminal
group since October last year.
On Thursday morning his house at Tenambit
was searched as part of sweeping dawn raids across the Lower
Hunter. In
total, more than 280 police officers raided 31 properties and
arrested 13 members and associates of the Nomads and Finks.
Most were granted conditional bail, but Mr
Vanderlight was locked up.
He applied for release in Maitland Local
Court on Friday, his barrister Nicolas Moir telling Magistrate
John Chicken he should be granted conditional bail due to the
likely delay in the matter.
Mr Chicken said the Nomad was unlikely to
give evidence, because of “the long history of outlaw motorcycle
groups not cooperating”.
He invited police to provide more detail
about what they say Mr Vanderlight contributed to the
gang’s illegal activity, refusing him bail until Tuesday.