A REBELS bikie associate involved in a drive-by shooting in Melbourne’s west has been jailed.
Rodney Brooke, 48, was sentenced in the County Court on May 4 to a minimum two years and three months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including discharging a firearm at a premises.
Rodney Brooke and alleged gunman David McGlone were arrested as part of an investigation into a western suburbs crime racket, which was run by Rebels enforcer Matthew Bruce.
Brooke drove McGlone to a Harkness home about 3.30am on February 16 last year.
The court heard McGlone blasted four shots from an Adler shotgun into the Lady Penrhyn Drive property before Brooke sped away.
A woman sleeping in the loungeroom was covered in shattered glass after shotgun pellets flew through the window — just missing her head.
Shotgun pellets also struck a neighbouring house, the court heard.
Details of the shooting were discussed on intercepted phone calls between McGlone and Bruce.
These details included where the target house was, where to pick up the gun and then how to dispose of spent shotgun shells and when to “burn out” the getaway car.
Bruce, who was arrested the day after the shooting, pleaded guilty to 18 charges at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last October.
Brooke, who was on bail, was arrested at his Craigieburn home on February 27, where police seized ammunition and an imitation handgun.
Judge William Stuart said it was fortunate the woman was not wounded by any one or more of those shots.
“Drive-by shootings are by their nature designed to terrify and intimidate the subject of such shootings,” Judge Stuart said.
“This is the type of event which is not only in this case terrifying to the occupants of that particular home but disturbing for the whole of the neighbourhood.”
Judge Stuart described Brooke’s role in the shooting as “short-lived” but “critical”.
“You drove slowly past the premises … you then drove away to a place where you could safely alight from the car without detection, he said.
Brooke was jailed for a maximum three-and-a-half years. He had spent 432 days in custody at the time of sentencing. McGlone will face a plea hearing in the County Court on August 5.
Bruce will return to court on August 10.
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Source: Herald Sun