Canberra Comanchero duo Jaymie Turner and Palei Maifelemi sentenced for affray
A Canberra magistrate has slammed and sentenced two bikies in court, saying ‘it’s just ridiculous for grown men to behave in this way’ after a scuffle which saw a lemon wedge fly across the room.
Canberra Star
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A Comanchero bikie and a wannabe gang member have been branded “immature” and “childish” by a magistrate sentencing them over a scuffle with rival Nomads.
Palei Samiu Maifelemi, 27, and Jaymie Leam Turner, 30, both fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday where they had earlier pleaded guilty to their roles in an affray at the Southern Cross Club in January last year.
The confrontation saw a group of Comancheros, including Maifelemi and Turner, a nominee, standover a booth full of Nomads.
At one stage a Comanchero poured out the last of a bottle of Corona on the Nomads’ table, sending a wedge of lemon flying towards a family seated nearby.
One of the Nomads was left with a broken nose, although neither Turner nor Maifelemi were responsible for the punches landed on the victim.
The affray was caught on the club’s security cameras and the Nomad who had his nose broken talked about the scuffle in a recorded phone call to a mate in prison.
Magistrate Boss said: “It’s childish and immature behaviour and was clearly meant to intimidate”.
Maifelemi had been on strict bail conditions since his arrest on the charge.
But Magistrate Boss said she had “no sympathy” for his plight.
“I have no sympathy for someone who is going to involve himself in this kind of childish and immature behaviour,” she said.
Maifelemi’s and Turner’s lawyers argued the disturbance lasted less than two minutes.
Magistrate Boss said of Turner’s role in the affray, in which he shoved one of the Nomads in the chest: “Why didn’t he just keep his nose out of it?”
She said Turner had “done time in jail for violence where he had an opportunity to rehabilitate and reflect, but he has involved himself in this kind of behaviour”.
Turner’s lawyer argued his client had shown a “growing maturity”, but the magistrate said, “It’s thuggery, it’s reminiscent of the schoolyard, it really is, it’s just ridiculous for grown men to behave in this way”.
She said the Comancheros were “behaving like children”.
Magistrate Boss said a group of bikies making a ruckus in a “family” venue like the Southern Cross club would make people uneasy.
“I’m not suggesting a slice of lemon is something people would ordinarily be fearful of,” she said.
“Once young men get together, things start escalating and people show off in front of their friends and things get out of control.”
She fined Maifelemi $1000 and ordered he serve a 12-month good behaviour order, and fined Turner $1500 and ordered he serve an 18-month good behaviour order.