Three Biloela men have faced court for wearing clothing linked to NZ street gang The Mongrel Mob

Three men in a small Central Queensland town have been caught up in the apparent spread of an international street gang into the area, after wearing prohibited clothing.

Three men from the Biloela region who wore prohibited clothing linked to an organised street gang based in New Zealand, have faced court, as claims emerge that the bikie club is spreading into Central Queensland.

Reuben Jeremey Petty, 35 (pictured), Andrew Roy King, 39, and Christopher Lee Linning, 45, each pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on October 13 to wearing a prohibited item in a public place.

In relation to Petty, the court heard that on March 6, about 2am, he was outside the Biloela Hotel on Callide Street when he was approached by police.

Petty was wearing a Kingdom Car Club Queensland shirt.

Police obtained CCTV footage from the hotel which showed Petty wearing the shirt inside the licensed premises.

In court, the prosecution said the Kingdom Queensland shirt was black, with a red and white print on the front.

It said the print consisted of a three-piece patch including a “top rocker Kingdom, a bottom rocker Queensland, and a central image of a crown”.

The print also contained “V8 and CC” between the top and bottom rocker, the prosecution explained.

The police prosecutor said the design of the shirt, which included the three-piece patch, “indicates association” with the organisation known as The Mongrel Mob, therefore making it a prohibited item.

“The Mongrel Mob is identified as an organisation under the Liquor Act and the liquor regulations,” the police prosecutor said.

“The gang have their origins in New Zealand and have recently appeared throughout Queensland, in particular, Biloela.

“A photograph of the Kingdom Queensland shirt was provided to a detective of New Zealand police, and the officer-in-charge of Police New Zealand National Organised Crime Group Motorcycle Gang Unit had previously supplied expert evidence in relation to New Zealand gangs.

“A statement was obtained from this officer which confirmed that Kingdom Queensland shirt is a prohibited item which is directly connected to the Waikato chapter of The Mongrel Mob.”

The Mongrel Mob is an organised street gang based in New Zealand that has a network of chapters throughout the country.

On the night of his offence, Petty had been intercepted by police earlier in the evening and was given a warning about wearing prohibited items in public.

After this warning he turned the shirt inside-out, however he later put it back on the right way while inside Biloela Hotel.

Petty’s solicitor said Petty “is not, and was not ever, a member of the Kingdom V8 car club”.

“He received a supporter’s shirt, which was what he was wearing on the night, and had only received it a week prior.”

A notorious bikie gang is spreading into Central Queensland.

The solicitor said Petty, an irrigation technician, was born and raised at Biloela and as the vice-president of the Callide Valley Auto Club, he attended motor vehicle shows and burn-out competitions.

“Due to this charge, my client has been harrassed by police and has had his purpose-built competition vehicle confiscated at a recent event,” the solicitor said.

“The assumption that the police have been making is that my client - simply because he wore this shirt - has association with this car club and that’s just not correct.”

The court heard Petty had “some” criminal history which was “quite dated”.

Tattoo on back of member of Mongrel Mob gang in Wanganui, North Island, New Zealand.

In relation to King, the court heard that on June 12, about 12.40am, police intercepted him walking on a Biloela street with other people.

King was wearing a hoodie-style jumper with Kingdom Car Club insignia.

When questioned about wearing the hoodie, King told police he did not know that he couldn’t wear it in public.

King’s solicitor said King, an apprentice diesel fitter, was born in New Zealand before moving to Australia when he was eight.

King had no criminal history.

In relation to Linning, he came to the attention of police on patrol at the Biloela Auto Fest, at Biloela Showgrounds, on the afternoon of September 18.

Linning was seen putting on a long-sleeve Kingdom Car Club shirt in the pit area near the burn-out pad before putting a short-sleeve shirt over the top of it.

Linning told police he put the Kingdom Car Club shirt on because it was the only long-sleeve shirt that he owned, purchased online a week prior, and he was required to wear one for safety reasons to compete in the burn-out competition.

Linning further stated he was aware he was not allowed to wear the shirt in public after being informed of this by an associate, and he denied being associated with The Mongrel Mob.

Linning’s solicitor said Linning was a car enthusiast who worked as a casual courier driver at the mines, and he was not a member of the Kingdom Car Club.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined each of the men $250.

None of them had convictions recorded.

The items were forfeited to the Crown.