The moment bikie ballroom blitz broke out
OFF-DUTY cops Robert Wilkinson and his wife Tracy knew something was wrong when they saw dozens of Finks bikies surround the kickboxing arena where they were sitting.
Gold Coast
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OFF-DUTY cops Robert Wilkinson and his wife Tracy knew something was wrong when they saw dozens of Finks bikies surround the kickboxing arena where they were sitting.
But what followed — one of the “most vicious fights” the detective senior constable has ever seen — left them stunned.
As the brawl between the Finks and their Hells Angels rival broke out, the couple’s first response was to let on-duty cops, Sergeant David Austin and former Sergeant Andrew Paul, know they were in for trouble and to call for help.
Everyone was on the phone ringing in the troops but in the end, it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
The on-duty guys had to confront a massive group of brawling, armed bikies and the off-duty couple had to help them, unarmed.
But as Sen-Const. Wilkinson recalled on the 10-year anniversary of the infamous “ballroom blitz”, there was nothing much any of them could do.
“The impression I got was that it was one of the most vicious fights I’ve ever seen — and I’ve done security, martial arts — but these guys were just smashing each other,” he said.
“What am I going to do against 100 bikies intent on bashing each other?
“It was one of those situations where none of us could do too much because we were outnumbered.
“We were all scared — particularly when the gunshots started.”
The ugly event that saw chairs thrown and plates smashed at the Royal Pines Resort on March 18, 2006, will forever be etched in Sen-Const. Wilkinson’s mind.
Ten years later the four officers were recognised for their efforts at the Queensland Police Service Gold Coast awards, with Tracy so committed to a policing course at the moment she was unable to attend.
The couple had been keen to enjoy a night of kickboxing and had seen the Hells Angels there.
“When a group of Finks trooped in and the way they were standing, their demeanour, the way they were staring the Hells Angels, I knew something was going to happen,” said Sen-Const. Wilkinson.
“When the gunshots started it was a bit surreal — it was hard to believe they were gunshots because we didn’t expected it.
“You’ve got 100 things running through your mind.
“Andy and Dave I had to back up and my wife Tracy as well — I had to have her safety.
“They were the two first and foremost thoughts.
“It was confusing and quick.”
Five men were shot or stabbed when the Finks and Hells Angels bikies battled in the public brawl.
Mr Paul, who has since gone on to be the state fitness manager for the Police Citizens Youth Club, said having the cop couple do what they did, not only helped them but was a truly brave act.
“Our first response was to go in and make our presence known — we’re there in uniform and armed,” he said.
“It was very tough at that moment.
“It was something we’re trained for and we relied on that training — we had to go in.
“The best thing I can specifically remember of the event is (the Wilkinsons) were off-duty and they came in behind us.
“That gave me the confidence someone was watching my back.
“It was quite a violent event with plates being thrown, chairs.
“Those guys that were off-duty — unarmed — that was the real bravery.”
Having previously worked in CIB, Mr Paul said he immediately knew he had to seize video tapes of the incident.
“The cameraman was already trying to sell it, so I eventually caught up with him,” he said.
“That’s what led to 100 per cent successful prosecutions — if you haven’t got video tapes nobody wants to be a witness.
“That was going through my mind, got to get those tapes, got to get those tapes.
“That was our best result.”
The police said the organisers had wanted to resume the fights but they intervened and declared it a crime scene.
It remains one of the Coast’s most notorious and public bikie incidents and came at a time when outlaw motorcycle gangs were at their peak in the city.
Keeping his head amid wild scenes
WHEN Robina Town Centre was sent into chaos after a bikie shooting, there was one cop who managed to quell it with calm.
Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Garrett was one of the first senior officers on the scene on April 28, 2012, establishing the police operation and starting what would be a successful investigation.
While there were several officers involved in the aftermath of the public shooting, Detective
Superintendent Brian Swan this week credited Det Garrett for his magnificent job of “creating calm out of chaos”.
“He did really well and started planning an investigative strategy,” he said.
The officers, along with a handful of others, were recognised at the Queensland Police Service Gold Coast awards this week for their efforts, receiving Assistant Commissioner Certificates for Operation.
Det Garrett, who has worked several cases related to outlaw motorcycle gangs, said it was a notable incident in his mind.
“It was unique at the time because at that time it was a fairly serious incident but it was at a time when the OMCG issue was really starting to be noticed on the Gold Coast,” he said.
“It was a pretty chaotic scene.
“At that stage (when I arrived) it wasn’t clear the shooter was gone and there were reports he had been cornered in one of the shops.
“The main concern was where is he? Was he there or not?
“I had to deploy staff to immediately go to the shop to make sure he had gone and it turned out he had left.”
Clear CCTV footage and working with the AFP quickly identified the offender — former Mongols bikie, Mark James Graham.
One shot hit opposing bikie gang leader Jacques Teamo who was out shopping with his two young sons. A second shot from Graham’s gun wounded a woman shopper.
Graham was sentenced to 12 years and three months in jail after a jury found him guilty of the attempted murder of Teamo and unlawful wounding of the bystander.
“Bullets ricocheted around the ballroom and the air was filled with flying metal chairs”
MORE than 1800 people watched in horror as violence erupted just after 10.30pm at a kickboxing match in the ballroom of the exclusive Royal Pines Resort on March 18, 2006.
Five people were taken to the Gold Coast Hospital with either gunshot or stab wounds.
One man was wounded in the head and back, another was shot and stabbed and two others were knifed in the abdomen.
Witnesses said women were screaming and hiding under tables and children were cowering as bullets ricocheted around the ballroom and the air was filled with flying metal chairs.
About 40 members of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang descended on the ballroom halfway through the show and began hurling abuse at members of the rival Hell’s Angels gang.
The Coast’s most wanted man, fugitive Finks bikie Shane Scott Bowden, handed himself in a month later.
He was charged with the attempted murder of Christopher Wayne Hudson.
Hudson, who was shot twice, was a former Finks member who had ‘patched across’ to the Hells Angels and was reportedly trying to recruit other Finks to join him which was believed to be the catalyst for the brawl. He is serving a 35-year sentence for murder and attempted murder in Victoria.
Bowden was also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Ryutara Matsumura. Known as Ray, Mr Matsumura was the kickboxing promoter who was knocked unconscious at the brawl.
Other Finks motorcycle gang members, Ross Glen Thomas, 32, of Alice Springs, and Benjamin Allan Young, 24, of Adelaide, were charged with affray.
Terry Ian Polley, 44, of Adelaide, an alleged member of the Hells Angels, faced charges including unlawful wounding and discharging a firearm.
Tyson James Ward, 28, also of Adelaide, who was an alleged associate of the Finks was also charged with affray.
Originally published as The moment bikie ballroom blitz broke out
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