Police warning to mourners ahead of bikie funeral

Mourners have been warned they will be charged if seen to be breaking Queensland’s tough anti-bikie laws at the funeral of a life member of the notorious Finks gang in the state’s southeast tomorrow.

POLICE are warning they will charge any mourners who break Queensland’s tough anti-bikie laws at the Gold Coast funeral of a life member of the notorious Finks outlaw motorcycle gang tomorrow.

Les ‘Grumpy’ Sharman was a life member of the Finks.

Hundreds of Finks gang members are expected to attend the lunchtime service for Les ‘Grumpy’ Sharman at Nerang’s Allambe Memorial Park, amid a heavy police presence.

Sharman, 60, died instantly when his car rolled multiple times in the Numinbah Valley on November 30.

A funeral notice described Mr Sharman as a “loved and respected life-member of the Finks M.C Qld”.

Specialist police from anti-bikie squad Taskforce Maxima and the Gold Coast’s Rapid Action Patrol will attend the funeral while officers will also man checkpoints at the Queensland-NSW border to monitor Finks gang members expected to ride up from the southern states for the funeral.

Southeastern police region assistant commissioner Brian Wilkins said officers would be respectful of mourners but warned they would not tolerate blatant breaches of Queensland’s anti-bikie laws, including bans on consorting and the wearing of gang colours in public.

“We respect their right to mourn and to bury one of their own but they have to be cognisant of the law,” Mr Wilkins said.

“We won’t be heavy-handed but if they break the law, we will act accordingly. There will be a significant police presence.”

Described by police as an ‘old-school’ bikie, Mr Sharman has a colourful past.

Court documents uncovered by The Courier-Mail in 2011 revealed the hostile attitude towards police by the Finks, including Mr Sharman.

In a 1997 police raid, Mr Sharman hurled drawers and hammered his fists on the benchtop as officers searched his home.

“Five o’çlock in the morning and you’re coming into my f***ing house man, and you can pay me some mother-f***ing respect,” he yelled at the cops, according to an affidavit.

“You say things about home invasions (but) you know, youse are the f**ken masters of it.”

Eventually, an officer found a 150,000 volt taser gun beside Mr Sharman’s bed.

When asked whether it worked, Sharman replied: “Here’s your friend (fellow officer) try it. It’ll hold him but it won’t kill him.”