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Bikies
acquitted over bombings
By staff writers
and wires
27
August 2004
FOUR Gypsy Joker
bikies and an associate accused of waging a bombing campaign
against former high-ranking Perth detective Don Hancock have been
acquitted.
In the past eight weeks, the West Australian District Court has been told how the notorious bikie gang believed Mr Hancock had shot Gypsy Joker member Billy Grierson as he sat at a campfire at Ora Banda, 70km north-west of Kalgoorlie, on October 1, 2000.
A jury today returned not guilty verdicts for Leslie Hoddy, Richard Samuels, Robert Stupar and Gary White, who were each facing three charges of plotting and then planting bombs that damaged the home and businesses of the former head of Perth's Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Graeme "Slim" Slater, who had faced four charges in relation to the bombing campaign, was also found not guilty but had earlier confessed to a related charge of attempted arson.
Judge Allan Fenbury sentenced Slater to three years jail, backdated to January 2003, for a botched arson attempt on Mr Hancock's home in October 2000.
Taking into account time already served on remand, Slater was eligible for release today.
Mr Hancock was killed in a car bomb, along with Perth racing identity Lou Lewis, outside his Perth house in September, 2001.
Slater had earlier been acquitted of two counts of wilful murder over this attack.
His former gang associate, Sidney Reid, has admitted his involvement in the revenge killing, saying he planted the bomb while Mr Hancock and Mr Lewis were enjoying an afternoon at the races.
Reid planted a car bomb under the front passenger seat of Mr Lewis's Holden Commodore station wagon in the track car park.
About 6.30pm the bomb was detonated by mobile telephone - on Reid's evidence it was alleged accomplice Slater who made the lethal call - as the car pulled into the driveway of Mr Hancock's Lathlain home, killing him and Mr Lewis.
According to evidence, the bikies believed Don Hancock killed Mr Grierson after he had made lewd comments to Mr Hancock's daughter, Alison, who was working behind the bar at Ora Banda, and the former cop took revenge with a rifle.
Police conceded Mr Hancock was a suspect but were unable to gather evidence to support charges.
Immediately following Mr Hancock's death, police launched an intensive investigation into the Gypsy Jokers' activities.
During Operation Zircon, more than 35 gang members or associates were arrested.
The police blitz gutted the Jokers' hierarchy, froze more than $1 million in personal assets and recovered big quantities of drugs and guns.
Early on, police identified Reid as a possible weak link in the gang and increased the pressure on him.
Reid apparently cracked and after an attack of conscience, he told all, knowing he would be a marked man for the rest of his life.
Reid's evidence also led to the conviction of Gary Ernest White, 47, of Maddington, for the murder of missing person Anthony David Tapley in August 2001.
In return for a reduced sentence and jail perks, he fingered Slater as the man who detonated the Lathlain bomb.
In court, Slater mouthed to Mr Lewis's widow that he "didn't do it", while his defence team argued he was an innocent man dobbed in by a disgruntled liar who could not be trusted.
Slater's partner, his mother and friends gave alibis that put a hungover Slater in Northam when the blast was detonated 100km away.
Their evidence and doubts about Reid's credibility as a witness are believed to have been crucial in planting the seeds of doubt that helped a Supreme Court jury arrive at the shock not-guilty verdict.
Police are certain Reid was not sophisticated enough to carry out the bombing alone and, outside court, Operation Zircon boss David Caporn expressed dismay at the verdict.
