Thomas O’Connor threatened by Hells Angels after SAPOL posted his club rings on auction site

A former Hells Angel turned to drugs after he was threatened by members for selling club rings on an auction site – but in an “extraordinary” twist, SA police were behind the ad.

A former Hells Angel relapsed back into drug use after he was threatened by members for selling club jewellery on an auction site.

However in an “extraordinary” twist, Thomas Mortiz O’Connor, 32, was not behind advertising the club rings online, but rather police.

Judge Liesl Kudelka sentenced O’Connor in July last year for discharging a firearm to one year and 10 months, with a non-parole period of eight months.

O’Connor fired bullets into the garage door of a Salisbury North property on November 26, 2020 – which was the wrong house and not the target of his group’s plan.

Judge Kudelka ordered O’Connor serve his sentence on home detention.

Thomas O'Connor pleaded guilty to breaching his home detention order. Photo: Facebook

Thomas O'Connor charged with discharging shots to frighten, annoy or injure someone. Picture: Facebook

Last week, the court heard O’Connor had breached the order by returning two positive drug tests in February and one in March, as well as avoiding a drug test on March 31.

Hells Angels threats trigger drug relapse, court told

The court heard O’Connor started using drugs again to help him stay awake and alert at night after threats were made by Hells Angels members.

“Members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club contacted Mr O’Connor to challenge him for selling a ring belonging to the club via Pickles Auctions,” David Edwardson, KC, for O’Connor, said.

“One of the requirements of leaving the club is that you have to return all your clothing and items associated with that group, and more particularly you certainly can’t profit from those items.”

The court heard Hells Angels members had come to O’Connor’s house in January asking him where the items were.

Mr Edwardson said O’Connor’s club rings had been in the custody of police but hadn’t received a response from them for why they had been advertised online, despite numerous attempts.

After making some phone calls, Mark Alessandrindi, for the prosecution, told the court he wasn’t certain how it happened but the rings were being returned.

“They were inadvertently advertised for sale around July or August of last year,” he said.

Mr Edwardson replied that it was “extraordinary” and “beggars belief” that police would put the jewellery on an auction site.

“There needs to be an explanation for how it could ever be that my client was put in that invidious position with club members,” he said.

The court heard the items were now in the custody of O’Connor’s counsel who would make sure they were returned accordingly.

Taking into account the circumstances and six weeks O’Connor had spent in custody, Judge Kudelka excused the breaches and released him to return home to his parents.

SAPOL were approached for comment as to how the rings came to be advertised on the auction site and whether further protocols would now be put in place to prevent a similar situation from occurring again.

However, they did not respond in time for deadline.