Bikie boss 'beat wife in jealous rage'

THE chief of a Perth bikie gang bashed his wife with a rolling pin, baseball bat and garden stake because he suspected she was having an affair, a court has been told.

Club Deroes president Phillip William Rowles, 52, today went on trial in the West Australian District Court charged with assaulting and threatening Diana Joy McCamey on October 12, 2004, and depriving her of her liberty.

Prosecutor Michael Mischin said Mr Rowles had attacked Ms McCamey, his wife of six years, after he was overcome by "jealous rage".

"He had suspicions that she had been cheating on him, having an affair with someone," Mr Mischin told the court.

Following an argument at their home in High Wycombe, in Perth's east, Mr Rowles punched and kicked her and bashed her with a rolling pin, Mr Mischin said.

He also threatened to mutilate her face with a butcher's knife, he said.

Ms McCamey had tried to escape out the back door but, despite denying she was having an affair, Mr Rowles caught her, bashed her with a baseball bat and a garden stake before forcing her back inside, the court was told.

He then led her to the bedroom, told her to "clean herself up" and ordered her not to leave.

Some time later, while Mr Rowles was distracted by a visitor, Ms McCamey gathered up their two children and escaped in a car, Mr Mischin said.

Ms McCamey suffered a broken thumb and extensive bruises and abrasions to her face, limbs and torso.

The following month Mr Rowles tried to hold Ms McCamey against her will again, Mr Mischin said.

Defence counsel Richard Utting said Mr Rowles' account of the incident was vastly different from Ms McCamey's.

"Yes there was an argument, yes there was a fight, but it was not that prolonged and brutal bashing that the prosecutor was talking about," Mr Utting told the court.

The trial continues.