A former First Class cricketer turned outlaw bikie has been accused of storming an alleged meth dealer’s home and breaking his left leg with a baseball bat.
Police say Arron Wesley Crawford, 35 — who played three First Class games for Western Australia in 2008 alongside test stars Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges and Marcus North — attacked Steven John Hudson after his girlfriend lured the victim into a bogus drug deal via Facebook Messenger.
When Mr Hudson opened the door to his Mundijong home, expecting to meet only the once-promising cricketer’s girlfriend Levi-Jade Christina Bevins, he was allegedly “rugby tackled” by Mr Crawford and a co-accused man. It is alleged the men, both members of the Satudarah outlaw motorcycle club, dragged Mr Hudson to the kitchen and that Mr Crawford repeatedly struck his legs while the co-accused man pinned the victim down and told Mr Crawford to “break his legs”.
Meanwhile, Ms Bevins was allegedly rummaging through items in the next room. Prosecuting Senior Constable Beau Jones told Geraldton Magistrate’s Court last Thursday that Mr Crawford then demanded Mr Hudson find “the drugs” for his co-accused. The trio allegedly made off with meth, three six-packs of beer, credit cards, a laptop and golf clubs, with Mr Crawford telling Mr Hudson on the way out: “There’s plenty more of us where we come from”, before the other man hurled a coffee table at him.
The victim was left with a fractured left tibia and fibula, and bruising and swelling to his right knee. Mr Crawford and Ms Bevins were arrested in Geraldton on July 27, 16 days after the incident. Mr Crawford, who is unemployed despite describing himself on LinkedIn as a “self-made, self-taught business entrepreneur” running a supplement company, has not yet entered pleas on charges of aggravated home burglary and commit, stealing, causing bodily harm with intent, and possession of a prohibited drug.
At his first court appearance on Thursday, Mr Crawford’s lawyer Fiona Hugo said the incident was a “targeted attack” and “not a matter of the public in general being at risk”.
But Sen. Const. Jones opposed bail at that hearing, describing the offences as “very serious”. “We believe he (Mr Crawford) has the means and opportunities to interfere with the victim … if released on bail,” he said.
Magistrate Chris Miocevich granted Mr Crawford bail today after his parents agreed to drive him back to Perth and pay a $10,000 surety. Mr Crawford is on a 24-hour curfew and must not leave his parent’s Herne Hill home unless he is accompanied by them. He is also forbidden from speaking to his girlfriend or any witnesses.
At the hearing today, Sen. Const. Jones said the evidence against Mr Crawford was “fairly strong” with a search of his home turning up a blue baseball bat and a Satudarah t-shirt allegedly worn during the attack, and the victim’s laptop. Ms Bevins also appeared before the court on Thursday, charged with the same offences, and did not enter pleas. She is also accused of an aggravated home burglary and stealing in Kelmscott in 2016. Mr Crawford is due to reappear before a Perth court at the end of October.
Source: The West Australian