Australasian biker news

AUSTRALASIAN BIKER NEWS

DESPITE requests that local Police be seconded to Sydney to help deal with the race riots blighting the city, none have been sent from the Batemans Bay and Narooma local commands.
A brawl in Batemans Bay two weeks ago, which saw an estimated 150 people involved in a fight, has kept all local police in the area in case the situation boils over again.

On Friday evening, December 16, it has been alleged that an altercation between members of the Bay and Canberra chapters of the Rebels Motorcycle Club and local Aboriginal people began at the Bay's summer amusement carnival.

It is believed that fight was quelled but the disputing parties met up later at a Batemans Bay hotel and the fight broke out again.

Batemans Bay Bail Court heard that what started as an ongoing fight between two men allegedly escalated into a large brawl between the bikers and local Kooris.

Police said glasses were smashed up and used as weapons and that up to 150 people "were present".

The fighting continued at Batemans Bay Hospital when the injured went there for treatment.

Police and medical vehicles were damaged, an emergency ward window was smashed and the entrance buzzer ripped from the wall.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Michael Ochs said the Local Area Commander had been so concerned about the violenc continuing onto the Saturday night that he nearly implemented new powers brought in because of Sydney's race riots.

"It was only by dint of negotiation that no lockdown occurred," Sgt Ochs said. Licensed premises agreed to close at 10.30pm and the Rebels chairman agreed that no club members would attend licensed Bay premises on the Saturday night. The Rebels chairman also agreed that any of the bike group's members that police were interested in would hand themselves over.

At Court on Tuesday, December 20 Robert John McCloskey, 30, of Wharf Rd, Surfside and Michael Thomas Dickson, 31, of Old Princes Highway, Batemans Bay were both refused bail.

Each faced charges of affray, offensive behaviour and assault occassioning actual bodily harm.

The Court heard that McCloskey had pleaded not guilty to affray for an October offence and that Dickson had a 1999 conviction for assault.

Defence solicitor Geoff Knox said Mr McCloskey had gone to the hospital for treatment of serious head injuries when the fighting flared again.

Both men facing charges owned local businesses and neither was a flight risk Mr Knox told the Court.

But Sgt Och said aan amendment to legislation, also created during Sydney's riots, now gave a presumption against bail for offences committed in the course of riots or other civil disturbances.

Mr Knox argued that it was simply a pub brawl to which the amendment need not apply. Court registrar Michael Brassil refused the men bail and Police expected to make several more arrests in relation to the incident.

National Party leader Andrew Stoner criticised the NSW Labor Government saying it must not put regional areas at risk by "stealing" their police officers to patrol Sydney beaches over the festive season. Numerous police from the country had been seconded to the city after the race riots.