Bikie girlfriend tells of shooting attack
The girlfriend of a Rebels bikie gang leader has told a Perth court she heard three shots as her partner rode his Harley Davidson into their driveway and took a bullet in the arm. A Rock Machine bikie, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is standing trial for the attempted murder of the Rebels' West Australian president Nick Martin at his Balcatta home in Perth's north on March 18 last year. Prosecutor Bruno Fiannaca told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the accused had staked out the house and observed Mr Martin's weekly movements before using a sawn-off .22 rifle to fire at him as he returned home that Friday evening. The court heard Mr Martin's de facto partner, Amanda Schoppe, had used a remote control to open the gates to their property when she heard his motorcycle approaching on the evening of the attack. She told the court that about 30 seconds after that she heard three gunshots. "I know what a gun sounds like," she said, describing the shots as coming in quick succession, "bang, bang, bang". Ms Schoppe said she ran to the front door to meet Mr Martin and when they went into their bedroom she saw "he had blood coming out of his left elbow". The jury was shown the home's security camera footage of a man in a balaclava running onto the driveway apron after Mr Martin rode in and firing a rifle quickly before running off. The court heard that one bullet hit Mr Martin's arm and another ricocheted off the petrol tank of his bike. Mr Fiannaca told the court the attack arose from an ongoing conflict between the two rival outlaw motorcycle gangs. He said the accused was a member of the Rock Machine's "militia" and had been ordered to carry out the shooting by a senior member of the gang. Mr Fiannaca said the jury would hear from the accused's former girlfriend that he had shown her a backpack containing a cut-down rifle, a balaclava and gloves which the prosecution contended were used in the shooting. He said the accused had also told her of a plan to shoot Mr Martin in the leg and after the attack had effectively confessed his involvement, telling her the gun had jammed. She would give evidence that the accused had returned to her house where he had showered and asked for bleach to wash his hands. Mr Fiannaca said the accused had bought a cheap, older model Ford Falcon a week earlier to use as a getaway vehicle during the hit and the vehicle and been set alight and burnt out in a reserve carpark on the evening of the attack. He said the prosecution would produce evidence to show the car was bought by the accused and was caught on Mr Martin's security camera footage passing the house several times before the attack. The footage also showed clothing and tattoos that identified the accused, he said. He told the jury that the prosecution contended the accused tried to murder Mr Martin, not just shoot him in the leg, citing the number of shots fired and the fact one bullet hit him in the arm. Defence lawyer Malcolm Ayoub did not deliver an opening address.
Drugs and guns seized from Rebels bikie home
Police say they have seized guns and a kilogram of amphetamine from the home of a Rebels bikie in Sydney's west. Detectives from the Gangs Squad raided the house at Telopea just after 1:00pm (AEST) yesterday. They allegedly found a Ruger revolver, a Smith and Wesson revolver, ammunition and the amphetamine inside a car at the property. Officers say they also found a shotgun and more illegal drugs in a garage. Police say they arrested and 42-year-old Rebels bikie and two associates of the gang, aged 19 and 31. The men have been released while police continue their inquiries, including forensic testing on the items seized.
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