Australasian biker news

Baby's kidnap: accused 'not members of bikie gang'
By Les Kennedy
August 15, 2005 - 2:21PM

Two men charged over the abduction of a 15-month-old baby boy were not members of the Bandidos bikie gang, a court heard today.

Police yesterday linked the kidnapping of a Sydney toddler to a dispute over drug money owed to the Bandidos.

The child's father was allegedly stabbed and his mother sexually assaulted during a three-day ordeal.

Solicitor Ross Hill - who acts for one of the accused men - today rejected police claims made in a bail hearing in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.

Mr Hill said his client, Ali Issa, and a co-accused, Roger Hanna, were not members of the club nor associates of Bandidos gang members.

Mr Hill was speaking outside Sydney's Sutherland Local Court today after Issa, 22, of Marrickville and Hanna, 26, of Roselands were formally refused bail.

The men are charged, along with Patricia Andria Paredes, 21, of Roselands over the abduction of the boy.

The names of the boy and his parents cannot be revealed for legal reasons.

Issa and Hanna were charged with taking or detaining a person with intent to obtain advantage.

Issa was also charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and two counts of aggravated sexual assault upon the boy's mother at the family's Blakehurst home.

Police alleged the two men held the boy's parents captive, during which time the boy's father was locked in a room and stabbed with a knife while his mother was allegedly raped twice.

All three were arrested by Hurstville police on Saturday when the boy's father raised the alarm after escaping from the home. Two other men, who were arrested, were released without charge.

Paredes was granted bail on Sunday after appearing before Parramatta Local Court on three charges relating to the kidnapping and abandonment of the child at a Hungry Jack's restaurant at St Peters on Saturday.

After both men were refused bail today, Issa was remanded to appear before Central Local Court on September 20, while Hanna will face Central Local Court on August 23, where he is expected to make an application for bail.

Paredes has also been ordered to reappear before Central Local Court on August 23.

Court told of gang link in toddler kidnap

August 14, 2005 - 2:19PM

A woman charged over the kidnapping of a 15-month-old boy has been granted bail in a Sydney court.

The child was abducted after his parents were held captive for two days at their Blakehurst home in a dispute over drug money owed to the Bandidos bikie gang, Parramatta Bail Court has been told.

Patricia Andria Paredes, 21, faced court charged with taking or detaining a person with intent to obtain advantage, taking or detaining a child with intent to remove it from parental control, and abandoning or exposing a child under seven years, causing danger or serious injury.

Paredes was arrested yesterday after she allegedly dumped the young boy at a St Peters fast-food restaurant.

Her two co-accused, Roger Hanna, 26, and Ali Issa, 22, were today refused bail in the same court.

The boy's parents were allegedly held captive at gunpoint for two days after Hanna and Issa entered their home on Thursday.

The court was told the boy's father - who police allege is involved in the supply of cannabis and the street drug "ice" - was beaten and stabbed in the arm during the ordeal, while Issa allegedly twice sexually assaulted the boy's mother.

Yesterday morning Hanna took the couple's young son to a house in Roselands, where he handed him over to Paredes, the court heard.

Fearing he would be charged with kidnapping, Hanna told Paredes to take the baby back to his parents' home, it was alleged.

Paredes panicked when she saw police outside the Blakehurst home and left the child at St Peters, the court was told.

Opposing bail, police prosecutor David O'Brien said the child had been put at substantial risk by strangers and traffic in the busy area.

But defence lawyer Peter Krisenthal said Paredes had no involvement in the alleged incident at Blakehurst and was only trying to take the boy home.

"She did not participate in the detention of this child, she was returning the child," he said.

Registrar Barbara Baker released Paredes on bail but ordered that she report to police daily and have no contact with her co-accused.

Hanna is facing six charges, including taking or detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage, maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and assault in company with others occasioning actual bodily harm.

Issa faces the same charges and is also accused of aggravated sexual assault.

The pair were remanded in custody to face Sutherland Local Court tomorrow, while Paredes will face the same court on August 23.

AAP

Bikie gang claims over toddler's kidnap
August 14, 2005 - 6:34PM

A toddler was kidnapped and his mother sexually assaulted during a dispute over drug money owed to a bikie gang, a court was told.

The 15-month-old boy was taken from his southern Sydney home, where his parents had allegedly been held captive at gunpoint for two days.

Parramatta Bail Court was told the boy's father - whom police allege is involved in supplying cannabis and the methamphetamine "ice" - was stabbed in the arm and beaten before he escaped early Saturday.

The boy was later found safe and well at a fast-food restaurant in inner-suburban St Peters.

Roger Hanna, 26, and 22-year-old Ali Issa faced court on a string of charges over the incident, while Patricia Andria Paredes, 21, appeared on three kidnapping-related offences.

The court heard that Hanna went to the Blakehurst home of the family, who cannot be named for legal reasons, last Thursday.

According to tendered police documents, Hanna questioned the father about drug money owed to the Bandidos motorcycle club, hitting and kicking him in the head.

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AdvertisementIssa later came to the house with a gun tucked down his pants while Hanna demanded money from the man and his de facto wife at gunpoint, police allege.

The court also heard that during the ordeal Issa twice sexually assaulted the woman, who thought having sex with him "would reduce the punishment and assaults" being meted out to her partner.

Before he escaped, "two unknown persons from the Bandidos" allegedly assaulted the boy's father, who was "locked in a room and stabbed with a knife in the arm".

Police allege Hanna took the boy from the house but, fearing he would be charged with kidnapping, told Paredes to take the child back to Blakehurst.

Paredes panicked when she saw police at the boy's house and abandoned him at St Peters, the court was told.

Opposing bail, police prosecutor David O'Brien said Paredes had put the boy at substantial risk.

But defence lawyer Peter Krisenthal said Paredes was only trying to take the boy home, and had no knowledge of, or involvement in, the events at Blakehurst.

"She did not participate in the detention of this child, she was returning the child," Mr Krisenthal said.

Registrar Barbara Baker granted Paredes bail, ordering her not to contact her co-accused, but remanded Hanna and Issa in custody.

Hanna is charged with six offences, including taking/detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage, maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and assault in company occasioning actual bodily harm.

Issa, from Marrickville, faces the same charges plus two counts of aggravated sexual assault. He intends to plead not guilty to seven charges.

Mr Krisenthal claimed in court that Issa was assaulted by police while in custody.

He said Issa "believes he's suffering from fractured ribs" and needed urgent medical treatment.

But Ms Baker said she would have "very grave fears for the safety of the witnesses in this matter", as well as the community, if he were released.

She was also concerned that Issa, who was on bail when the alleged crimes were committed, had a "criminal history (which) does him no favours".

Issa and Hanna will face Sutherland Local Court on Monday, while Paredes will appear at the same court on August 23.

Court told kidnapping linked to bikie gang

A couple was held hostage in their house for two days and their toddler kidnapped because they owed money to the Bandidos motorcycle gang, a Sydney court has heard.