South Australia bans more bikies from owning guns

Bikies make up more than half of the rising number of South Australians on the firearms blacklist, police have revealed.

Hundreds of bikies have been banned from owning guns in South Australia by the Police Commissioner and the courts.

Police have revealed for the first time almost half of those considered too dangerous to own a gun are members, former members or associates of outlaw motorcycle groups. The number of people banned as of this month is 577, of which 274 had links to bikie gangs.

The number of bikies, former members or associates on the register has increased from 257 in May 2020.

Overall, there were 49 new Firearms Prohibition Orders issued in the past year by courts and police.

Detective Superintendent Billy Thompson, the officer in charge of the Firearms Branch, said the register was updated regularly to ensure public safety.

“It is used by the public, such as gun ranges, who use this register to ensure people using their facilities are not subject to a Firearms Prohibition Order,’’ he said.

“Police conduct checks to ensure people on the Firearms Prohibition Order Registrar are complying with their orders.

Detective Superintendent Billy Thompson. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“This includes planned and unplanned compliance checks on premises, including home addresses, other addresses and vehicles.”

He said that since May 15 last year, police had conducted 164 compliance checks, which had resulted in seven breaches.

The number of people banned from owning a gun in SA is escalating rapidly, rising from 389 in 2019.

A police spokesman said a small number of people were banned from owning guns because they were a danger to themselves.

Despite tough anti-association laws in SA, bikie crimes involving guns are still common. In April, police raided seven properties in Adelaide’s north and east and 11 firearms were seized.

In February, four people were arrested, including members of an outlaw motorcycle gang, after shots were fired at a home in Salisbury North in November.

In January, a machine gun belonging to bikies was found hidden in a Rostrevor park.

And last week, a newly retired Descendants bikie, Mark Michael Baker, was sentenced to at least 12 months in jail and fined $3000 after being caught with three guns and more than 1000 bullets in 2019.

Guns seized from a raid at Coonalpyn last year. Picture: SA Police

Police can decide without referral to courts that someone should not be allowed to own a gun.

It gives them the power to take immediate action, even if based only on threats.

Courts are far less active in banning gun ownership than police.

Of the total of 577 orders, 387 have been issued by the Police Commissioner and 190 by the courts.

But the courts are becoming more active in issuing gun bans.

As of May 2020, there were a total of 528 orders; 366 had been issued by the Commissioner and 162 by the courts.