Peter 'Skitzo' Hewat
A feared bikie enforcer nicknamed "Skitzo" has been charged with extortion and assault after allegedly standing over a northern suburbs real estate agent.
Hells Angels serjeant-at-arms Peter Hewat was charged on Wednesday afternoon by a member of the Victoria Police anti-bikie taskforce over the incident at a Campbellfield office in February.
Hewat is in Melbourne Assessment Prison facing unrelated assault and aggravated burglary charges after allegedly punching a 62-year-old woman in the face after a dispute over a dog.
In a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, Detective Senior Constable Gary Measham said that a friend of Hewat's had rented a commercial property in Campbellfield, but was in dispute with the estate agent, who had refused to return the bond after the lease ended.
The agent claimed Hewat's friend, Vincent Siciliano, had not repaired damage to the property. In a meeting at the property in January, Siciliano allegedly told the agent that he was "connected" and demanded the return of the money, but the agent refused.
On February 26, it is alleged Hewat and Siciliano went to the estate agent's office and again demanded the money. Hewat then grabbed the agent by the throat and choked him, saying: "You'll f--king well write the cheque out now you little c--t. Get the money now or I'll f--k you up."
The agent pointed up at CCTV cameras in the office and said he was going to the police, upon which Hewat dropped him but allegedly told the agent he would "fix him up" at his house.
Speaking by video link from prison, Hewat agreed to be questioned by detectives, but denied the allegations: "I disagree with the whole lot, your honour."
Siciliano was charged on Monday with extortion, aggravated burglary and common law assault, similar charges to those Hewat faces.
Hewat was also charged in March with offences over a dispute with a neighbour over the bikie's shih-tzu terrier.
The chain of events began in December when Hewat's dog escaped during a storm and was found by a Craigieburn woman.
The 62-year-old put up posters of the dog around the neighbourhood trying to find the owner. According to police, Hewat's wife called the woman and, instead of thanking her, began abusing her.
The woman responded that she would need proof of ownership before handing over the dog. But the dog was eventually returned.
Police alleged at a bail hearing in March that the couple who found the dog then received three months of intimidation and threats by Hewat and members of his family, culminating in Hewat turning up at the woman's house and punching her in the face.
The next day, two men, one armed with a pistol, turned up at the victim's house and told her not to go to the police about the alleged assault. One of the men is alleged to have said to the terrified woman: "Karma will come and get you sooner than you think. Don't forget this you f---ing slut, we mean business."
When police raided Hewat's Craigieburn towing company, they allegedly found a stolen earth-moving machine, a stolen lawnmower, a stolen car, a stolen truck, ammunition and about 500 grams of tablets they believed to be ecstasy.
Hewat said he did not know the vehicles were stolen, and that he had no idea how the drugs came to be at his business.
Police added the charges of illegally possessing the
steroid trenbelone and the testosterone substance cypionate after they
found them at Hewat's Mickleham home.
