Arron James Cluse jailed for 11 years for involvement in shooting of bikie Mark Sandery’s young son
A WANNABE Hells Angel who took part in a terror raid in which a rival gang member’s 11-year-old son was shot has been sentenced to more than a decade in jail.
A WANNABE Hells Angel who took part in a terror raid in which a rival gang member’s 11-year-old son was shot, has been sentenced to more than a decade in jail.
Arron James Cluse, 23, had been found guilty of aggravated serious criminal trespass and two counts of aggravated endangering life over the gang raid which left the son of Mongols sergeant-at-arms Mark Sandery with two gunshots wounds to his leg.
In sentencing today, District Court Judge Gordon Barrett said the raid terrorised Sandery’s four sons, all aged under 11, and would likely leave them all with long-term psychological damage.
“Whoever fired into that bedroom clearly knew that the lives of those inside were in danger,” he said.
“It was by sheer chance the two boys (in the bedroom) were not killed.”
“I do not necessarily conclude that the intention of the group was to shoot at children, however, whoever did the shooting did not care who he was shooting at.”
He said Cluse had used a hammer — which was later found by police with his DNA on it — to smash windows on the outside of the house but he had not gone inside.
Judge Barrett said Cluse had been promoted to a Hells Angels prospect shortly after taking part in the raid.
“Your involvement in this crime was not through any personal animosity towards Sandery or his family but it was out of loyalty to a gang which regarded Sandery as an enemy.”
He said he accepted Cluse’s submission that he had cut ties with the notorious bikie gang, but did so with “some scepticism”.
Judge Barrett said he did so, because he felt the stabbing death of Cluse’s brother, Kayne, in January may have shifted his attitude against living a violent life.
“People do come to see how much damage and grief is caused by violence and crime.
“They come to see how innocent people get hurt.
“If you have genuinely decided to cut ties with the Hells Angels then it might go some way to lowering your chances of reoffending.”
He said the attack had taken place amid a background of violence between the Hells Angels and Sandery’s former club, the Finks.
He said Sandery had attended the Hells Angels clubroom about a fortnight before the shooting and behaved in a “provocative manner”.
CCTV footage of that incident — which was stored on Cluse’s phone — was seized by police after the shooting.
No other arrests have been made in relation to the shooting or possible reprisals against Cluse, which included his home being shot at and set on fire during two separate incidents.
“Those who organised the enterprise and the person who did the shooting have not yet been caught and it may be that they never will be.”
Judge Barrett sentenced Cluse to 10 years jail for his part in the raid with a non-parole period of five years.
He was also sentenced to two years jail, of which one year will run concurrently with his sentence on the charges related to the shooting — over drugs and cash found at his property.
His total sentence was backdated to when he was first taken into custody, making him eligible for parole in February 2017.