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Mongols MC member allegedly hit out in Warilla pizzeria stoush

A Mongols MC member is accused of using his bike helmet to clobber the head of a Warilla pizzeria owner, in a bid to make the man surrender money and his car, a court has heard. 
 
Video footage played at Wollongong Local Court on Thursday shows Daniel Sarkis clad in a black Mongols Australia vest and clutching his motorcycle helmet as he approaches the counter of Vespa Pizzeria the night of September 27 last year. 
 
Owner/manager Cristoforo Andrea Mieli alleges Sarkis, 30, of Dee Why, used his helmet to strike him about a minute later, when both men disappeared into an area of the business not covered by the cameras. 
Giving evidence before Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, Mr Mieli said Sarkis was dating his ex-girlfriend when he began inundating his phone with messages and calls, demanding he hand over $10,000 and his car.

 

Screenshot from CCTV.

Screenshot from CCTV.

 
“Sometimes I’d have up to 80 missed calls a day from him,” he said. “I did not have any idea [why], except he kept mentioning money and the keys to my Holden SS Commodore. In return, he would stop harassing me – if I paid him the money and gave him the keys.” 
He said he had not seen Sarkis in person before the night of the alleged assault.  
Mr Mieli was at the back of the business when Sarkis approached the counter about 7.30pm and went to walk behind it. “He goes, ‘come on, let’s go round the back’. I said, ‘so then you and your gang of bikie mates can jump me?’,” Mr Mieli said. 
He later told police Sarkis repeated his demands for money and his car but he told him “you’re not getting anything from me … so leave or I’ll call police”. He said Sarkis sat down and said “I’m happy to wait.” 
 

 

Sarkis’ lawyer questioned why this detail wasn’t in Mr Mieli’s statement, and why he hadn’t provided police with the intimidating messages Sarkis allegedly sent. 
 
“He [Sarkis] was using fake numbers, fake phones – burn phones,” Mr Mieli said. 
Sarkis, who is in custody for unrelated matters, is defending himself against charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation. The hearing continues November 12 before Magistrate Cate Follent.