Outlaw bikie Nick “The Knife” Forbes sees himself as a protector who wants to come to the rescue, SA court told
ONE of Australia’s most feared outlaw bikies — nicknamed “The Knife” — views himself as a vigilant protector of others with an emotional desire to “come to the rescue”, a court has heard.
ONE of Australia’s most feared outlaw bikies views himself as a vigilant protector of others with an emotional desire to “come to the rescue”, a court has heard.
On Monday, counsel for veteran Fink and Mongols member Nick “The Knife” Forbes asked he be spared jail over a violent 2011 gang brawl inside an Adelaide nightclub.
They argued CCTV footage of Forbes swinging a bar stool was evidence of “self-defence”, while using that same object against a rival gangster was “going to the aid” of a fellow member.
Mark Griffin, QC, for Forbes, said his client had no intention of severing his lifelong ties with the gang — instead, his goal was to change its criminal culture from the inside.
“He’s determined to be a club member, as it has provided him with great emotional support, and does not intend to abandon it — but will not be involved in illegal activity,” he said.
“He wants to contribute to the club by stopping others who might be on a pathway to destruction ... he sees himself as a mature father figure.
“He is hyper-vigilant in relation to those under attack ... he has an emotional desire to offer protection ... he tends to be the person who comes to the rescue.”
Forbes, 47, of Queensland, is awaiting sentence over his involvement in the May 2011 brawl between the Finks and Hells Angels inside the City Nightclub in Adelaide.
Prosecutors accused Forbes — a former member of the club’s “Terror Team” of enforcers — of serving as a ringleader in a planned attack.
His conviction was overturned on appeal, but he was convicted a second time following a retrial.
On Monday, Mr Griffin told the Adelaide Magistrates Court that Forbes had been visiting Adelaide at the time and was merely “a passenger” to the assault.
“He was a participant, not a protagonist ... his actions could be described more in the nature of self-defence and defence of another,” he said.
He said Forbes was unlikely to reoffend given his “excruciating and persistent” back pain, and so should be released to return to his remote, rural home.
Ryan Williams, prosecuting, said Forbes was also facing charges for allegedly assaulting a fellow prisoner during his retrial.
“That suggests he may be exaggerating his symptoms, while it also exemplifies his attitude to violence and shows he’s the same man he was in 2011,” he said.
“In the psychological report he acknowledges he has a ‘short temper’, would ‘never run from danger’ and ‘lacks fear conditioning’.
“He says he ‘will protect others at the expense of himself’ because his ‘greatest fear is someone getting hurt because of him’.
“To say he’s a ‘protector’ is to use a euphemism — he’s a violent protagonist.”
Magistrate Ian White will sentence Forbes on Thursday.