Grim inspiration: The torture was said to be in the vein of the Sons of Anarchy television series. Photo: Supplied
It was said to be a Sons of Anarchy-inspired torture in which nipples were sliced, skin was seared and bones were broken.
But the eight Rebels bikie members who allegedly tortured a former president of their group never dreamed he would talk to police.
The leader of a local chapter was allegedly hog-tied with cable leads and tortured until he lost consciousness during a 36-hour kidnapping by fellow members.
Police allege the torture is part of a violent ritual for members who leave the outlawed bikie club on bad terms.
The arrest of the eight senior members was a huge blow to the gang, at a time when their national president, Alex Vella, remained stranded in Malta after his visa was revoked.
Details of the alleged torture session emerged during a Supreme Court bail application for lifelong member Andrew Lloyd Hughes on Friday.
Other members charged with the kidnapping included sergeant-at-arms of the Liverpool chapter Khaldoun Al Majid, Matthew Rymer, Jamie Saliba, Ram Lafta and Darrell Pologa.
The court heard the 45-year-old victim was first confronted by up to 10 masked men in the driveway of his Castlereagh home on May 8.
He was knocked unconscious and woke up in his kitchen where he was allegedly bashed and burned for the next two days.
The group allegedly seared his palms and the top of his feet repeatedly with a knife that had been heated up by a blowtorch.
His right arm was smashed with such force that surgery was required to replace a metal plate that was broken.
He was beaten unconscious several times after being punched repeatedly in the face and body.
Police allege some members of the group held him down while others sliced open both his nipples.
The group, who are attached to the Liverpool and Penrith chapters, then left him unconscious and took off with three of his cars, a quad bike and a yellow ski boat.
When the victim regained consciousness two days after he was first taken captive, there was no one left in his house.
He managed to free himself with a knife and ran to a neighbouring house before a friend drove him to Nepean hospital.
The NSW Supreme court heard on Friday that many of the accused were captured on footage obtained from an intercom system at the front of the house.
Police allege Hughes was present after finding a fingerprint of his on a banister inside the house.
But barrister John Korn said his client was in no way involved in the kidnapping and had left a fingerprint at the house on a previous occasion.
"All the Crown has is a fingerprint," he said.
Justice Robert Hulme refused Hughes bail, citing concerns he would engage in similar activities if released from custody.
Outside court, solicitor Warwick Korn said his client Hughes had nothing to do with the violent kidnapping.
"We call the Crown case abysmally weak," Mr Korn said.
All eight members are before the courts charged with special aggravated kidnapping and participating in a criminal group.
The arrests were made after gang squad detectives set up strikeforce Salsola.