Bikies abandon court fight to go to Malta after being charged
Two senior members of the Rebels bikie gang have abandoned their Supreme Court fight to travel to Malta for celebrations with their former leader after being charged with firearms offences.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two senior members of the Rebels bikie gang have abandoned their Supreme Court fight to stop a bail variation allowing them to travel to Malta being overturned by police – after being charged with firearms offences in Sydney.
Lawyers acting for the pair – Alex Vella jnr and Damien Vella – told Chief Justice Chris Kourakis on Tuesday they now consented to the police initiated bail review.
While the court was not told why the pair had a change of heart, The Advertiser can reveal they were both arrested in Sydney early on Tuesday by detectives from the Raptor Squad and charged with firearms offences.
They were expected to appear in Sydney Local Court court on Wednesday morning where strict bail conditions preventing overseas travel will be sought by NSW police.
SA police initiated the Supreme Court bail review last Friday after unsuccessfully opposing the bail variation granted in Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 16. The bail variation allowed the pair to travel to Malta between March 17 and April 7.
The Supreme Court yesterday heard police had intelligence the pair were travelling to Malta to join celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of exiled Rebels bikie Alex Vella snr’s involvement with the gang. Alex Vella jnr is his son and Damien Vella is his nephew.
Alex Vella snr has been living in Malta since 2014 when his visa was cancelled by the federal government on character grounds. He subsequently lost a High Court appeal against the move.
The Supreme Court heard evidence 18 Rebels members left Australia last week bound for Dubai and several of them had already been pictured on social media celebrating in Malta with the notorious bikie.
Alex Vella Jr and Damien Vella, from Horsley Park and West Hoxton in NSW, are charged with one count each of being present with two or more criminal organisation participants after being arrested in Adelaide on March 10.
When they appeared in court on March 11 prosecutors did not oppose bail and they were released on the condition they returned to NSW, did not leave NSW and did not go near any international departure point.
They were also prohibited from having any contact with members of any declared criminal organisation in SA – particularly other Rebels members. A $1000 surety was also imposed.
However, on March 16 lawyers acting for the pair appeared before Magistrate Michelle Sutcliffe and successfully sought the Malta travel variation to their bail conditions – which police opposed.
The variation granted allowed the pair to travel to Malta between March 17 and April 7. In allowing the variation, Magistrate Sutcliffe increased the cash surety to $10,000.
Immediately after today’s development Chief Justice Chris Kourakis set aside the bail variation made in Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 16. He ordered the original bail conditions set on March 11 remain in force.
Alleged hit-run driver nabbed in luxury car on three wheels
Police have arrested a man who allegedly drove his three-wheeled Mercedes Benz into a parked car at West Beach.
Unmasked: St Peter’s Girls’ coach accused of exploitation offending
UPDATED: The elite private school coach charged with child abuse material offending can be identified – as well as his former links to a top AFL club.