Rebels sergeant-at-arms Jerome Ah Soon, 28, survived a three-day bail revocation application that was resolved in the County Court on Wednesday.
The application was brought on after police conducted curfew checks at his western suburbs home on June 15 and 16 this year.
Police knocked on the stay-at-home dad’s door just after 10pm on both occasions but Ah Soon was a no-show.
A condition of his bail was that he must be home from 6pm to 6am every day.
Ah Soon later told police he didn’t hear the doorbell because he was playing Call of Duty with his partner and children. He said he was wearing headphones while playing the mobile-only version of the noisy first-person shooter game.
Ah Soon, who was questioned regarding the validity of his claim, was shown evidence he was not logged into the game when he claimed to be playing. The prosecution, however, could not prove beyond reasonable doubt he was not home when police knocked on his door.
Judge George Georgiou gave him the benefit of the doubt, allowing the feared enforcer to remain in the community, with tighter bail conditions. Ah Soon must ensure he is in a “position at all times to hear the front door bell”. He must also ensure he answers all phone calls to his mobile from police during curfew hours.
Judge Georgiou said the “onus” was on Ah Soon to comply, including making sure his phone was charged and his doorbell had a working battery.
Ah Soon and Rebels’ associates Eliseko Seko and Luke Kneale are awaiting trial for alleged violent extortions in Melbourne’s west where one victim was handed a bullet in an envelope.
Hamish Stojkovic, was jailed in May after pleading guilty to charges including two counts of extortion with threat to kill, and carjacking.
The court heard during Stojkovic’s plea the Rebels crew targeted two victims between January and March last year.
The first victim was lured to a carpark at the Melton McDonald’s near Woodgrove Shopping Centre on January 24, where the bikies allegedly forced him to hand over the keys to his ute.
Ah Soon, Seko and Kneale are awaiting trial dates.
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Source: Herald Sun by PAUL SHAPIRO