FIVE members of the Finks Motorcycle Club brutally bashed and robbed a fellow, senior member believing it would enhance their standing in the gang, a court has heard.
Corey Dettmann, Bozidar Cekic, Dean Richard Ciantar, Paul Paunovic and Mostyn Carmello Rex Niemann stood trial in the Supreme Court today.
Each pleaded not guilty to one aggravated count of causing serious harm with intent, and one aggravated count of theft, relating to senior bikie Charles Bonnici.
The offences allegedly occurred at the Finks’ “north side” club rooms in Salisbury on February 13, 2013, and resulted in the theft of Mr Bonnici’s gold neck chain worth $67,200.
Opening the trial, prosecutor Brian Nitschke said the piece of jewellery was cut from Mr Bonnici’s neck with a pair of bolt cutters.
He said the group’s crimes were aggravated by their use of pool cues, a vacuum cleaner and a table during the assault.
He said their actions were further aggravated by their membership of the now-defunct bikie gang — the internal politics of which had sparked their crimes in the first place.
“There was hostility within certain sections of the club toward Mr Bonnici, an atmosphere ... suggesting dissatisfaction with him ... that he was out of favour,” he said.
“Based on the evidence, these five men intended to secure a benefit for themselves — the hope of furtherance of their status within the club.”
Mr Nitschke said Dettman, 41, was a senior member of the club while Cekic, 23, and Paunovic, 38, were members.
He said Ciantar, 23, and Niemann, 26 — a professional boxer — were probationary members or “noms” within the club’s hierarchy.
Mr Nitschke said the men were closely associated with the club’s “central chapter” based at Thebarton while Mr Bonnici was a senior member tied with the “north side” chapter.
He said CCTV footage, recorded at both club houses, would be tendered to show “a convoy” of Finks travelling from Thebarton to Salisbury shortly before the incident.
He said that convoy included senior Finks member Andrew Majchrak, who has not been charged with any offence in connection with the incident.
Mr Nitschke said the footage showed most of the convoy leaving before Mr Bonnici arrived and was greeted by Dettman, Cekic and Paunovic.
Ciantar and Niemann, he said, followed behind.
“At about 3.08pm, Mr Bonnici walks into the club rooms and there is no sign of any injury on him,” he said.
“When the group of five left, about eight minutes later, Mr Bonnici had suffered multiple nose, mandible and rib fractures, a right fibula fracture and collapsed right and left lungs.
“He had suffered internal bleeding which caused his brain and eyes to swell and one of his toenails had been ripped off.
“The five accused left having done what they intended to do ... indeed, their manner of departure and interaction with each other suggests a feeling of a job well done.”
Mr Nitschke said there was no footage of events within the club rooms but, at one stage during those eight minutes, the outside camera had recorded Niemann walking across the road.
He said Niemann had “ambled or strolled” to a repair shop, obtained a pair of bolt cutters and re-entered the club rooms.
He said Mr Bonnici, who has declined to give evidence in the trial, was taken to hospital after another member of the club arrived and called 000.
“Inside the building, police found shattered parts of three pool cues ... pieces and splinters were scattered about the place,” he said.
“Police also found an upright vacuum cleaner ... with blood stains on its base and a plywood table that had blood all over it ... that blood turned out to be Mr Bonnici’s.”
Mr Nitschke said SA Police Crime Gangs Task Force detectives conducted inquiries and spoke to Mr Majchrak, who said Mr Bonnici was “dead to him”.
He said that, during a search of the central club rooms, officers recovered a notebook inside which was written “Charlie’s got ambition mixed up with capability”.
It also read: “Don’t blame central when sh-t hits fan, we reached out and told to f--k off.”
The trial, before Chief Justice Chris Kourakis and in the absence of a jury, is expected to last two weeks.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/finks-bikie-gang-members-bashed-senior-member-sa-court-told/story-fnii5yv7-1227246226522
Corey Dettmann, Bozidar Cekic, Dean Richard Ciantar, Paul Paunovic and Mostyn Carmello Rex Niemann stood trial in the Supreme Court today.
Each pleaded not guilty to one aggravated count of causing serious harm with intent, and one aggravated count of theft, relating to senior bikie Charles Bonnici.
The offences allegedly occurred at the Finks’ “north side” club rooms in Salisbury on February 13, 2013, and resulted in the theft of Mr Bonnici’s gold neck chain worth $67,200.
Opening the trial, prosecutor Brian Nitschke said the piece of jewellery was cut from Mr Bonnici’s neck with a pair of bolt cutters.
He said the group’s crimes were aggravated by their use of pool cues, a vacuum cleaner and a table during the assault.
He said their actions were further aggravated by their membership of the now-defunct bikie gang — the internal politics of which had sparked their crimes in the first place.
“There was hostility within certain sections of the club toward Mr Bonnici, an atmosphere ... suggesting dissatisfaction with him ... that he was out of favour,” he said.
“Based on the evidence, these five men intended to secure a benefit for themselves — the hope of furtherance of their status within the club.”
Mr Nitschke said Dettman, 41, was a senior member of the club while Cekic, 23, and Paunovic, 38, were members.
He said Ciantar, 23, and Niemann, 26 — a professional boxer — were probationary members or “noms” within the club’s hierarchy.
Mr Nitschke said the men were closely associated with the club’s “central chapter” based at Thebarton while Mr Bonnici was a senior member tied with the “north side” chapter.
He said CCTV footage, recorded at both club houses, would be tendered to show “a convoy” of Finks travelling from Thebarton to Salisbury shortly before the incident.
He said that convoy included senior Finks member Andrew Majchrak, who has not been charged with any offence in connection with the incident.
Mr Nitschke said the footage showed most of the convoy leaving before Mr Bonnici arrived and was greeted by Dettman, Cekic and Paunovic.
Ciantar and Niemann, he said, followed behind.
“At about 3.08pm, Mr Bonnici walks into the club rooms and there is no sign of any injury on him,” he said.
“When the group of five left, about eight minutes later, Mr Bonnici had suffered multiple nose, mandible and rib fractures, a right fibula fracture and collapsed right and left lungs.
“He had suffered internal bleeding which caused his brain and eyes to swell and one of his toenails had been ripped off.
“The five accused left having done what they intended to do ... indeed, their manner of departure and interaction with each other suggests a feeling of a job well done.”
Mr Nitschke said there was no footage of events within the club rooms but, at one stage during those eight minutes, the outside camera had recorded Niemann walking across the road.
He said Niemann had “ambled or strolled” to a repair shop, obtained a pair of bolt cutters and re-entered the club rooms.
He said Mr Bonnici, who has declined to give evidence in the trial, was taken to hospital after another member of the club arrived and called 000.
“Inside the building, police found shattered parts of three pool cues ... pieces and splinters were scattered about the place,” he said.
“Police also found an upright vacuum cleaner ... with blood stains on its base and a plywood table that had blood all over it ... that blood turned out to be Mr Bonnici’s.”
Mr Nitschke said SA Police Crime Gangs Task Force detectives conducted inquiries and spoke to Mr Majchrak, who said Mr Bonnici was “dead to him”.
He said that, during a search of the central club rooms, officers recovered a notebook inside which was written “Charlie’s got ambition mixed up with capability”.
It also read: “Don’t blame central when sh-t hits fan, we reached out and told to f--k off.”
The trial, before Chief Justice Chris Kourakis and in the absence of a jury, is expected to last two weeks.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/finks-bikie-gang-members-bashed-senior-member-sa-court-told/story-fnii5yv7-1227246226522