Australasian Biker News
Man's ears cut off in bungled drug deal
June 5, 2008 - 8:31AM
A committal hearing into an alleged kidnapping of a Gold Coast man whose
ears were severed has begun with a fiery outburst from the police
officer in charge of the case.
David Holmes's ears were cut off in November last year after he was
allegedly abducted from his Currumbin home by a group of bikies over a
reported $40,000 drug deal gone bad.
Mr Holmes, 38, was later found by picnickers at Springbrook National
Park.
Four men charged over the alleged attack today appeared before Southport
Magistrates Court, where they face various charges including kidnapping,
torture and committing acts with intention to maim.
The men are Benjamin James Dehnen, 31, of Kingscliff, Aaron Drew Scheers,
24, of Tweed Heads, James Desmond Murphy and Raymond Kenneth Brookes,
30, of Pottsville.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Reid, who oversaw the police
investigation, was the first witness to give evidence at the committal
hearing yesterday.
Senior Sergeant Reid was being questioned by Brookes's lawyer Bill Potts
over an alleged confession the detective had obtained, when the court
erupted into a slanging match.
After heated arguments between the two, the lawyer accused the detective
of using the unsworn confession as evidence against Brookes.
"It's a brick, isn't it?" Mr Potts asked, referring to police slang for
a confession that has not been properly verified.
"How dare you insult me in that way?" Senior Sergeant Reid responded.
"You are lucky you have the court to support you because you wouldn't
get away with that if you were outside, my friend."
Magistrate Mike O'Driscoll called an immediate adjournment and later
barred media and members of the public from attending the remainder of
the day's hearing.
The hearing continues.