Mongols bikie Fidel Gunes sentenced for dozen of crimes

A Mongols bikie charged with the murder of Shane Bowden has been sentenced for dozens of unrelated crimes, including receiving stolen vehicles, possessing a bag of revolvers and falsifying traffic infringements.

A Mongols bikie charged with the murder of Shane Bowden has been sentenced for dozens of unrelated crimes including receiving stolen vehicles, possessing a bag of revolvers and falsifying traffic infringements.

Fidel Gunes, 30, is one of 10 people charged with the execution-style murder of Bowden who was gunned down in his driveway in October 2020.

He pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Thursday to almost 20 unrelated offences committed between 2017 and 2019.

Crown Prosecutor Sinead Butler said in December 2017, four stolen heavy vehicles including trucks and trailers were discovered in Gunes’ Victoria Point holding yard and he lied to police, claiming they belonged to him or his companies.

Shane Bowden was gunned down in his Gold Coast driveway in October 2020.

During a search, police also discovered five handguns stashed with Gunes’ own tools in a tool bag stored in a shipping container.

Gunes claimed the weapons did not belong to him.

In June 2018, a trailer purchased for $55,000 was stolen from a logistics company and a month later the trailer was advertised for sale on Gumtree for $30,000.

Ms Butler said a member of the logistics company staff contacted the seller posing as a buyer asking to arrange an inspection.

When Gunes arrived with the vehicle at the logistics business premises for the inspection, he was intercepted by police to whom he again lied, claiming the trailer was registered to him.

“Immediately following this exchange the defendant has made a threatening gesture toward an employee of the company and told the complainant, the owner of the company … “I will get you”,” Ms Butler said.

Gunes later followed through with the threat when he encountered the business owner months later, assaulting him and threatening to kill him.

He was charged with wilful damage and assault causing bodily harm and was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment.

Investigators also discovered Gunes had lied 14 times on statutory declarations for speeding fines issued to his businesses over four years until mid-2019, claiming a fictitious person had been behind the wheel in a bid to avoid the hefty commercial fines and demerit points.

The court heard Gunes claimed full responsibility for falsifying the documents but his wife had also been charged and was due to face trial over her alleged involvement.

Judge Paul Smith said it was submitted that six of the false documents were signed by Gunes and witnessed by his wife and that another six were allegedly signed by her.

Defence barrister Martin Longhurst said his client had brought “great shame” upon his household”, saying Gunes felt he had dragged his “upstanding” partner into the situation.

“She has been brought into this, the embarrassment of his partner being charged, being dragged through the mud for 100 per cent his fault,” Mr Longhurst said.

The court heard Gunes disputed that it was joint offending with his wife and he is expected to give evidence at her trial scheduled to be held next year.

Mr Longhurst said the business was having financial difficulties and the false statements were designed to reduce the fine which is five times more for a business than for an individual.

He said Gunes was not charged with stealing the heavy vehicles and submitted he had been “wilfully blind” about their origins when they were stored at his business premises.

Ms Butler said Gunes had a criminal history and was subject to two suspended terms of imprisonment when he committed the false declaration offences.

Judge Paul Smith said it was “difficult to accept” submissions that Gunes had been “wilfully blind” about the vehicles, or that he was holding the guns for a friend, pointing out that he had been clearly involved in attempting to sell one of the trailers.

Gunes was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and his suspended sentences were activated to run concurrently. He has already served more than 500 days in custody and will immediately be eligible to apply for parole.

Gunes pleaded guilty to 14 counts of making false declarations, fraud in excess of $30,000, unlawful possession of weapons, threatening violence and receiving tainted property.

The murder charge is due to be mentioned in the magistrates court later this month.

Ten Mongols gang members have been charged with the murder and will be contesting the charges.