Rebels members Damien Vella, Alex Vella Jnr and Carmelo Rositano sentenced for three minute Gouger Street meeting

This national bikie boss and his cousin tried to be very careful not to break SA’s strict gang laws when they came to Adelaide, a court heard.

The boss of the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, his cousin – the son of a notorious exiled bikie, and a local Adelaide bikie were arrested after socialising for three minutes outside a restaurant.

Rebels president Damien Vella, 43, and Alex Vella Jnr, 39, son of exiled bikie chief Alex Vella, were arrested in Adelaide in March last year after a meeting outside a Gouger St restaurant.

Carmelo Rositano, 46, was arrested weeks later and all three were charged with being present with two or more members of a criminal organisation in public.

All three pleaded guilty to the charge during a pre-trial hearing earlier this year.

On Wednesday, Chief Magistrate Judge Mary-Louise Hribal said prosecutors had accepted that the offence was at lower end of seriousness.

Harry Patsouris, for all three men, said the Vellas, who live in Sydney, had been in Adelaide to attend a business function to further their property development interests in Victoria and Queensland.

Rebels national president Damien Vella was arrested for meeting with other gang members for three minutes in Adelaide.

Mr Patsouris said the pair had gone to great efforts to ensure they obeyed the law in South Australia which prohibits members of motorcycle gangs consorting in public.

Instead dinners had been arranged in private dining rooms to ensure they complied with the law.

After dinner on March 11 the Vellas left the restaurant and were seated outside smoking when Rositano exited the venue.

Rositano had already ordered an Uber to take him and briefly chatted with the Vellas before shaking them both by the hand and leaving.

The whole interaction lasted for around three minutes and was caught on a nearby security camera.

The Vella’s were arrested and refused police bail. They spent a day in the Adelaide Watchhouse before being released on bail on the proviso they leave SA.

Alex Vella Jnr, right, was arrested for meeting with fellow Rebels members in Adelaide in March last year. Pictured with his father Alex Vella, the exiled chief of the Rebels.

During sentencing submissions on Wednesday the court heard that Rositano had a previous charge of criminal association in similar circumstances.

In 2018 he was having a birthday dinner when a surprise guest, a fellow member of the Rebels, arrived to join them.

The group had dinner and then parted ways, only to be arrested and charged.

Judge Hribal noted that the law was designed to prevent members of criminal associations gathering in public, but did not affect private meetings.

The Vellas were convicted and had no further penalty imposed because of their time in custody.

Damien Vella was also fined $700 for wearing a gold Rebels emblem and 1%er medallion in Gauchos Argentinian Restaurant later that same evening.

Rositano was sentenced to 21 days on home detention.