The 25-year-old president of the local chapter of the Finks MC Eamon Mulgrew was accused of money extortion using threats and intimidation of a pawnbroker in Sydney’s northwest.
The trial took place in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, where his lawyers insisted his client should be released because there was not enough evidence in the case.
The Crown claim that earlier this year a man – who the defense called a “wayward member” – had been loaned $11,500 cash by the moneylender in exchange for jewelry, a motorcycle, and a boat.
During the bail, Mulgrew committed several other offenses for which he was arrested on June 2.
He and two other bikies are accused of demanding to return the things he handed over to the pawnshop and threatening the man who refused to do that.
However, Mulgrew’s lawyer said the Crown’s case was weak because it was based on the testimony of a pawnshop broker who made conflicting statements and admitted criminal conduct himself.
But Justice Christine Adamson did not support the lawyer’s allegations, arguing that the pawn broker’s testimony was quite detailed and that he described at great length the bikies’ tactics and their willingness to cause harm.
She also added that contradictory testimonies indicate that witnesses are not sincere or have also committed a crime and are afraid that they will be exposed.
The judge finds that the applicant is willing to threaten to get what he wants.
Justice Adamson fears that bail poses a high risk and imprisonment will be difficult for Mulgrew but the crown case depends on the pawn broker’s arguments.
The chances that Mulgrew committed another serious offense, endangering a pawnshop or interfering with witnesses were significant, she said.