Australasian biker news
Bay brawl keeps Police at home
Thursday, 29 December 2005
DESPITE requests that local Police be
seconded to Sydney to help deal with the race riots blighting the city, none
have been sent from the Batemans Bay and Narooma local commands.
A brawl in Batemans Bay two weeks ago, which saw an estimated 150 people
involved in a fight, has kept all local police in the area in case the
situation boils over again.
On Friday evening, December 16, it has
been alleged that an altercation between members of the Bay and Canberra
chapters of the Rebels Motorcycle Club and local Aboriginal people began at
the Bay's summer amusement carnival.
It is believed that fight was quelled
but the disputing parties met up later at a Batemans Bay hotel and the fight
broke out again.
Two men were refused bail following
the night of violence.
Batemans Bay Bail Court heard that
what started as an ongoing fight between two men allegedly escalated into a
large brawl between the bikers and local Kooris.
Police said glasses were smashed up
and used as weapons and that up to 150 people "were present".
The fighting continued at Batemans Bay
Hospital when the injured went there for treatment.
Police and medical vehicles were
damaged, an emergency ward window was smashed and the entrance buzzer ripped
from the wall.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Michael
Ochs said the Local Area Commander had been so concerned about the violenc
continuing onto the Saturday night that he nearly implemented new powers
brought in because of Sydney's race riots.
"It was only by dint of negotiation
that no lockdown occurred," Sgt Ochs said. Licensed premises agreed to close
at 10.30pm and the Rebels chairman agreed that no club members would attend
licensed Bay premises on the Saturday night. The Rebels chairman also agreed
that any of the bike group's members that police were interested in would
hand themselves over.
At Court on Tuesday, December 20
Robert John McCloskey, 30, of Wharf Rd, Surfside and Michael Thomas Dickson,
31, of Old Princes Highway, Batemans Bay were both refused bail.
Each faced charges of affray,
offensive behaviour and assault occassioning actual bodily harm.
The Court heard that McCloskey had
pleaded not guilty to affray for an October offence and that Dickson had a
1999 conviction for assault.
Defence solicitor Geoff Knox said Mr
McCloskey had gone to the hospital for treatment of serious head injuries
when the fighting flared again.
Both men facing charges owned local
businesses and neither was a flight risk Mr Knox told the Court.
But Sgt Och said aan amendment to
legislation, also created during Sydney's riots, now gave a presumption
against bail for offences committed in the course of riots or other civil
disturbances.
Mr Knox argued that it was simply a
pub brawl to which the amendment need not apply. Court registrar Michael
Brassil refused the men bail and Police expected to make several more
arrests in relation to the incident.
National Party leader Andrew Stoner
criticised the NSW Labor Government saying it must not put regional areas at
risk by "stealing" their police officers to patrol Sydney beaches over the
festive season. Numerous police from the country had been seconded to the
city after the race riots.
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