John Wright: Canberra bikie pleads not guilty to drug possession

Rebels ACT Vice-President John Wright has been hit with a new charge in the court.

Canberra Rebels Vice President John Wright, aka John Winchester, has pleaded not guilty to a new charge of possessing a drug of dependence.

Mr Wright, 47, previously pleaded not guilty to 10 other charges against him including possessing a prohibited weapon; cultivating cannabis for selling; conspiracy; possessing plant equipment for cultivating a controlled plant; failing to comply with an order made by a magistrate; trafficking a controlled substance other than cannabis; two counts of attempting to traffic a controlled drug other than cannabis; and two counts of possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

The prosecution told the court they wished to apply for an adjournment because a “significant brief of materials are outstanding.”

Magistrate Lisbeth Campbell granted the adjournment during the brief mention.

Canberra Vice-President of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle club John Wright leaves ACT Magistrates court on bail on November 26 2021.

Mr Wright’s bail, which includes conditions to live at a residence in Goulburn NSW and to only have access to one mobile phone without using encrypted messages, will continue until he next appears at court.

The bikie was arrested in November last year following a search warrant conducted by officers attached to ACT Policing’s Nemesis task force.

According to the statement of facts tendered to the court in a previous appearance police allegedly found knuckle dusters, two bundles of cash, one amounting to $15,000 and one amounting to $150, a crystalline substance, and a bag of white powder believed to be cocaine at a Braddon residence when Mr Wright was arrested last year.

Police allege they found a guide to growing plants using hydroponic equipment in one of the bedrooms and found hydroponic equipment in a silver Renault van which was parked in the car space for Wright’s Braddon Residence.

Mr Wright will appear for his pre hearing mention on June 3.