15 arrested over wild Runcorn brawl
A dispute between warring factions of a Brisbane Sikh temple is alleged to have sparked a frenzied brawl in Runcorn involving swords and other weapons, a court has heard. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
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A dispute between warring factions at the Brisbane Sikh Temple is alleged to have been the genesis for a frenzied brawl in Runcorn involving swords and other weapons, a court has heard.
Up to 50 men from the two groups allegedly clashed on Monday night near Daw Street.
One of the men was today granted bail.
Maan Singh, 46, Regents Park, is facing charges of grievous bodily harm and affray.
Police will allege Maan armed himself with a metal pole and attacked another member of the temple at an alleged street fight in Runcorn on Monday night.
Police will allege Maan was part of a group of males that attacked the man. The others have been accused of using swords.
Maan’s co-defendant’s Gurlal Singh, 35, and Daljinder Singh, 36, were refused bail yesterday. A third co-defendant Parwinder Singh, 31, was granted bail.
Maan’s lawyer Johnny Nyst made an application for bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning.
Police did not oppose bail on the basis certain conditions would be imposed.
Acting Magistrate Rowan Silva granted bail with conditions Maan not contact the alleged victim or his co-defendants and not approach within 100 metres of the Brisbane Sikh Temple at Eight Mile Plains.
The matter was adjourned to November 1.
The court heard surgery was required to save one of the victim’s hands from amputation after it was cut to the bone.
Graphic photos of the injuries were tendered to the court.
Yesderday, Gurlal Singh who has been charged with grievous bodily harm, affray and disturbing religious worship, was refused bail.
Police allege Singh, who is making an application for bail, was one of several men to attack a man with swords during a wild melee.
Police prosecutor Sgt Wade Domagala opposed bail saying they were serious charges.
“When participating in a frenzied attack with a sword is one of your options, that is not justifying why his detention is (unwarranted),” he said.
The complainant had a small metal bar but did not use it the court heard.
Singh’s lawyer Johnnie Nyst said the allegations would be “hotly contested”
“This was a large consensual fight resulting from the tensions simmering from the two groups in the temple,” he said.
“The allegations are not made out and I can’t stress that enough. “
Mr Nyst said his client had instructed that he had reached out to police about the tensions prior to the incident.
He said the alleged victim had gone there voluntarily and was armed and part of a group.
“That suggests he may have some culpability in this,” he said.
Magistrate Shane Elliot said the described injuries were “sickening”
He said the incident was allegedly intended “to cause significant injuries” and did so.’
Bail was refused.
Co-defendant Parwinder Singh, 31, was granted bail “by the skin of his teeth”.
Parwinder has been charged with GBH and affray and police allege he was armed with a sword.
Police allege he was part of a group who attacked another man with swords.
However Magistrate Shane Elliot said it was unclear exactly what Parwinder’s alleged involvement was in causing injuries in the GBH.
His lawyer Mr Nyst said the alleged victim had not witnessed Parwinder hitting him.
“(He said) I think Parwinder must have been the one who hit me from behind because he had a sword and was the only one behind me,” Mr Nyst said.
“That statement is not observation.”
Mr Nyst said his client had been interviewed by police on Monday but was initially released without charge and had not taken off. The court heard he had no criminal history.
Mr Elliiot indicated he would grant bail with conditions including he not attempt the temple.
Mr Nyst objected to this stating Parwinder prayed every day at the temple and it was an unnecessary condition.
Mr Elliot disagreed.
“Well, the other alternative is he’s in Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre and I’m not sure what type of temple they have,” Mr Elliot said.
“He gets bail by the skin of his teeth,” he later said.
He granted bail with conditions he not go to the temple or Eight Mile Plains, not contact the alleged victim, crown witnesses or co-defendants, report to police, surrender any passport, and not possess any weapon for religious reasons or otherwise.
A third man, business owner Daljinder Singh, 36, of Park Ridge, had his bail refused after being charged with affray and GBH.
A fifth man charged, Lad Singh, 38, of Runcorn, was granted bail.
The Uber driver was charged with GBH and affray over an alleged sword attack at the brawl.
In his witness statement the alleged victim said Lad tried to hit him with a sword however there was no evidence he was successful in the attempt.
In ganting bail, which was opposed by police, acting Magistrate Silva said it was “obviously extremely disappointing” that issues relating to the administration of the temple spilled over into violence.
All three matters were adjourned to November 1.
In total fifteen men were arrested following the violent brawl.
All of the men are from the same place of worship, police allege.
Police will allege one of the men disturbed a service that was taking place and had taken over the service on August 22, weeks before the brawl.
It happened at the Brisbane Sikh Temple at Eight Mile Plains.
All 15 men have all been charged with affray, while five men have been charged with grievous bodily harm and two with assault occasioning bodily harm.
Acting Superintendent Simon Tayler said the men were aged between 29 and 36.
The alleged fight was over a “power struggle” between two groups of people linked to religious venue at Eight Mile Plains, he said police would allege.
When asked if up to 40 men were involved in the brawl he said the investigation was ongoing.
“However the 15 we’ve put through today, we’ve very happy with the volume and level of evidence that we have to be able to put them before court,” he said.
“It will be alleged they were all from the one area, the one place of worship.
“It would appear and it will be alleged that it seems to be a power struggle between two groups of people.”
Weapons included axes, swords, knives and bamboo, Supt Tayler said.
“It would have been a confronting scene for anyone attending or witnessing that there,” he said.
Supt Tayler encouraged people within the community to speak with police further.
“At no point is it acceptable to meet in an open street with the level of weaponry that they had to solve whatever their issues were,” Supt Tayler said.
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