LOCKED UP: Former Tramps Motorcycle Club president Ronnie Harding was sentenced to eight months in jail.
Ronnie Harding tried to be sneaky when he hid drugs inside a fake energy drink can and mint tin, but it didn't fool the police armed offenders squad.
The 52-year-old former bikie club leader was already on bail for serious drugs and weapons charges when, on May 29, officers again raided his Wangaratta South home.
They found 9.8 grams of ice hidden inside a false can of Red Bull, 5.5 grams of ecstasy in the form of crushed blue tablets in a false WD40 tin, and LSD and ecstasy tablets hidden in an Eclipse mint tin.
Harding, who is banned from holding a gun licence, was also found with a double-barrel shotgun, two mobile phones, and a driver’s licence with his photo and a fake name.
He appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday via video link from prison to plead guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Ian Watkins sentenced him to eight months’ jail, to be served concurrently with the minimum 12-month jail term handed down last month.
It meant he would effectively serve no extra time behind bars.
Despite links with the Hells Angels in his role as president of the now defunct Tramps Motorcycle Club, Harding did not have a criminal record until he was first arrested in 2016.
“Where you are at the moment, I hope it's as low as you're ever going to go,” Mr Watkins said.
“Methamphetamine has caused a lot of destruction to people’s lives and families in this community and it's done a pretty good job of messing yours up.”
Solicitor Geoff Clancy said the drugs were not part of a big financial operation – Harding was an ice user himself.
He said his client was “under great stress” because he was facing charges from the previous police raid of his home and the Tramps clubhouse in January 2016.
“He was once a respected man in the community, but his association with motorcycle clubs has put him under the spotlight,” Mr Clancy said.
“He’s going to have to persuade the parole board to grant parole (after the first 12 months of a maximum two-year sentence) and he’s going to be under strict supervision.”