Guilty verdict in Ross Brand murder trial
Jane Harper | September 23rd, 2010
BIKIE John Bedson has been found guilty of murdering Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand after firing a hail of bullets into a group of men on Geelong Cup day.
Bedson, 27, was also found guilty this afternoon of intentionally causing serious injury to Bandidos associate Paul Szerwinski, who was left with a bullet lodged in his thigh after the attack outside the Bandidos’ Breakwater clubhouse on October 22, 2008.
A jury at Melbourne’s Supreme Court took just over three days to find Bedson guilty on both counts.
Bedson, who is the founding member of gang Death Before Dishonour and whose stepfather is president of the Rebels bikie club, was angered by a fight earlier that day at the Geelong Cup, when his friend had been hit by a nominated member of the Bandidos.
He met his brother Derek in the car park of Buckley’s Tabaret, and ordered another man to drive him and Derek to the clubhouse in Leather St.
The court heard evidence from the driver, who cannot be named for legal reasons, that Bedson ordered him to stop outside the clubhouse, and tied a bandanna round his face before firing a .22 calibre rifle six times into the group of four men standing outside.
As the driver drove away, he said he heard Bedson say: "I think I got one".
Bedson claimed he had fired out of “fear and panic” after believing he saw Mr Brand reach for a gun, but other witnesses told the court Mr Brand had been unarmed.
Bedson has been remanded in custody for a plea hearing on November 3.
