Ooralea home raid linked to Lone Wolves

THREE men from interstate raided a Mackay home to recoup a $20,000 debt a woman owed to a Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang member.

Mackay police arrest offenders at Ooralea on August 13, 2016. Picture: Emily Smith

EXCLUSIVE: Three men from interstate raided a Mackay home to recoup a $20,000 debt a woman owed to a Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang member.

Sydney defence barrister Saul Holt QC told the Supreme Court in Mackay some of his clients had been "in leadership roles” with the Lone Wolves, but all had since reformed - and in one instance resumed going to church.

Medhat Mankaryous, 36, Viliami Hafoka Iongi, 39, and Fatongia Alepini Hanisi, 42, from suburbs in Sydney, faced the court for sentencing on Monday.

The three men each pleaded guilty to burglary in company, entering premises with intent to commit an indictable offence and stealing on August 13, 2016 at Ooralea. Mankaryous also pleaded guilty to drug possession.

Initially charged under the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act, that particular allegation against the three men was dropped by the prosecution, headed by Crown prosecutor Joshua Phillips. Sydney's Veronica Lisa Harte, 36, also appeared alongside the men, pleading guilty to a lesser charge of accessory after the fact to burglary.

The men crammed into the Supreme Court dock on Monday and Harte took a seat behind the bar table, unable to squeeze in alongside them.

Three police officers flanked Harte and the men, as supporters packed into the courtroom's public gallery.

During the hearing, Mr Phillips said there was "no dispute” between the prosecution and defence regarding the men's links to the Lone Wolves.

Mr Holt told Justice David North "none of them still have those connections” and the men had "removed themselves entirely”. The barrister described the offending as "serious because it was essentially an episode of the taking of the law into the hands of a group of people to recover a debt, and for other ancillary purposes”.

"In terms of the role ... of membership of the Lone Wolves motorcycle club in the sentencing process, I can't say it's not relevant, because it forms part of the background material in terms of how these people knew each other and part of the motivation,” he said.

" ... none of the three male offenders who had clear membership and associations with that organisation, none of them still have those connections. Whilst it's not proper to describe membership of that club, at least in New South Wales, as being unlawful, it's also accepted it wasn't a tiddlywinks club and it creates an unhealthy and inappropriate associations.”

Mr Phillips, who tendered the agreed facts, described the men's "outlaw conduct” as an "interstate attempt to steal a substantial amount of property”.

He pointed to Mankaryous as having the most concerning criminal background of the trio, involving aggravated armed robbery with a pistol.

However, the prosecutor did note the men had all served varying periods of custody before sentence. In particular, Hanisi (who Mr Holt suggested would likely be deported from Australia) had spent a considerable time in immigration detention and behind bars - 633 days in total.

Hanisi was described by Mr Holt as the primary planner of the home invasion, as $20,000 had been owed to him.

Mr Holt submitted his clients had all served enough time behind bars and should be released to rehabilitate in the community.

He said all of the men, including recommitted church-goer Iongi, enjoyed strong family ties and a productive existence in their communities.

Justice North stood down the case for a time. Mankarous was then sentenced to suspended jail term of 18 months, Iongi was sentenced to a suspended term of 15 months, Hanisi was sentenced to a suspended term of six months and Harte was sentenced to a suspended term of three months, court documents show.

Originally published as Ooralea home raid linked to Lone Wolves