Australasian biker news

A MAN described as a senior member of the Black Uhlans motorcycle gang appeared in Tweed Heads Local Court yesterday on charges over a brawl and bungled drugs raid.

The court was told of a series of mishaps when Tweed-Byron police detectives raided a Tweed Heads apartment earlier this year, resulting in a fight involving Steven Denis Hooker and officers.

Prosecutor Sergeant Peter Costin-Nielsen said Mr Hooker was charged with three offences resisting and assaulting an officer in the execution of duty and obstructing a person from executing a warrant after he allegedly tangled with at least five detectives in the apartment.

Led by Detective Senior Constable Frank Natoli, a team of detectives searched a unit at Seascape Apartments, allegedly owned by Mr Hooker, on April 28 and arrested a known local drug dealer.

After searching the unit about 6pm, police alleged they found about 600g of methamphetamine and 9.3g of cocaine.

But the court was told the convicted drug dealer, who was not restrained, grabbed the methamphetamine and threw it into Jack Evans Boat Harbour, where police recovered half of the original weight.

The court was told that within minutes of this, Mr Hooker knocked on the door and police were allegedly involved in a scuffle, resulting in Sen-Const Natoli injuring his back and right knee.

Mr Hooker was said to have been upset to find his 'wife's apartment' upturned with clothes strewn across the floor.

The court was told capsicum spray was used to no effect on the 49-year-old, who Sen-Const Natoli said was 'agitated and violent'.

"He is obviously a very large man and it took a lot of effort to restrain him. The spray seemingly had no effect ... and he was acting in a violent manner. I was faced with a very large, agitated man and had only a couple of seconds to react," he said.

Mr Hooker's legal team, led by barrister Tony Kimmins and lawyer Bill Potts, argued the Palm Beach resident was the victim of excessive force.

"He was left with two broken ribs and a punctured lung. He also spent several days at the John Flynn Hospital ... after the incident," said Mr Kimmins. "Mr Natoli was obviously agitated after the drugs were thrown away."

Mr Hooker said he was grabbed by officers in a largely unprovoked attack, dragged to the ground by the neck and left fighting for breath.

He was taken to the Tweed Hospital before Sen-Const Natoli and Detective Senior Constable Glen Telfer transported him to the John Flynn Hospital.

Police alleged that in the car Mr Hooker told Sen-Const Natoli: "That was only a bit of foreplay."

Magistrate Jeff Linden was shown a video of the raid which included faint audio of the alleged assault.

Today, Mr Hooker and several detectives will take the stand.