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Bikie taskforce chief Mick Niland admits letting Hells Angels flout VLAD laws for funeral

 

 

and did any old ladies die of fright? No ...wake up Qld voters...

 

POLICE sat by and watched as more than 100 Hells Angels bikies blasted through a Queensland town following a club member’s funeral.

The brazen en masse ride through Waterford, filmed by a motorist, was a flagrant breach of laws banning known bikies and associates gathering in public in groups of three or more.

Police monitored the event about 50km north of the Gold Coast, with a cop car metres from the convoy.

However, they took no action against the group wearing their club colours.

More than 100 Hells Angels bikies rode through a suburb north of the Gold Coast while police watched on. Photo: Supplied

Traffic at a roundabout was held up by the motorcycle procession about 10.30am on Saturday and described by the motorist who filmed it as “intimidating”.

“They came from both sides — hundreds of them. All traffic stopped, all the roundabout stopped and had to let all these bikes through,” the motorist said.

Despite the flouting of the laws laid out in Section 60a of Queensland’s Criminal Code Act, Taskforce Maxima commander Mick Niland told the Bulletin officers didn’t act because of the “sanctity” of the occasion. He said the footage was being reviewed.

“We have never made an arrest during a funeral procession and I doubt whether we ever will,” the Detective Superintendent said.

More than 100 Hells Angels bikies rode through a suburb north of the Gold Coast while police watched on. Photo: Supplied

“They are gathering at the place of worship — we do not take action.

 

“However, on a roadway they should be very mindful of legislation.

“If that was a normal poker run or national run in Queensland, (they) would have been arrested and charged on sight.

“We have given leeway because it was a funeral (but) it appears they have clearly overstepped.

“If we identify the Hells Angels participants and they have breached the legislation or traffic legislation, they will be arrested and charged in the weeks ahead.”

Police intelligence photos of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang focusing on their insignia.

Mr Niland said the funeral service had been for high-ranking Hells Angel Terry McCormick.

In March, McCormick boasted to media of his intention to lead a group motorcycle ride in club colours, despite being arrested at the same event the previous year.

He was charged a year earlier, along with another patched Hells Angels member, for riding with a third member in an alleged breach of the state’s VLAD laws.

It is understood the Waterford ride occurred as the group headed to his wake at Cornubia.

Mr Niland said police had not taken action at any of 10 bikie funerals across Queensland in the past three years but the Waterford run was the first time bikies had ridden en masse afterwards.

Police would continue to give leeway for bikie funeral gatherings “on a case-by-case basis”, he said.

The footage comes a day after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called for Queensland to become the first state to ban outlaw bikies from wearing their patches in public or face possible jail time.

A bikies source confirmed police normally turned a blind eye during funerals.

The source told the Bulletin: “But the only dispensation they get is to go in the church (with colours on).

“That whole situation of riding together, that is unusual and normally would be addressed.”

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