Hells Angel bikie Dale Irvine pleads guilty to firearm, drug and poker machine offences

A search of Hells Angel bikie Dale Irvine’s property at Doyalson North revealed a mixed bag from rifles to a “medieval” mace and a poker machine. Hear the latest from court.

A Hells Angel bikie gang member from Doyalson North will be sentenced over possession of weapons, ammunition, a poker machine and a “medieval” mace.

Dale Irvine, 51, has appeared at Wyong Local Court via audio visual link when he entered pleas to 14 charges before magistrate Peter Miszalski.

Irvine pleaded guilty to possess a firearm (shortened) without a permit, possess prohibited weapon without being authorised by permit and two counts of possess an unregistered firearm.

He also pleaded guilty to 10 other offences which will be taken into account on sentence.

One of the rifles seized at the Doyalson North home. Picture: NSW Police

These include possess prohibited drug, three counts of acquire firearm – subject to prohibition order, three counts of not keep firearm safely, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, acquire ammunition subject to prohibition order and possess gaming machine that is not approved.

Three charges including acquire prohibited firearm subject to prohibition order, not keep firearm safely and unauthorised possession of approved gaming machine were withdrawn.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court stated that Irvine had been served with a Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) in 2016.

Two rifles were located at the property. Picture: NSW Police

NSW Police officers attached to the elite Raptor Squad – which targets and disrupts the illicit activities of criminal networks – carried out a (FPO) search warrant on Irvine’s rural property on the Pacific Highway in Doyalson North on December 8 last year.

Irvine, who had lived at the property for 15 years and had bikie paraphernalia, was home when police arrived and denied any knowledge of firearms, ammunition or drugs aside from a possible “bong”.

The search started in a house on the property where police found 0.2g of methylamphetamine in Irvine’s bedroom.

Parts of the sawn off shotgun. Picture: NSW Police

“The shotgun had a sawn-off barrel to be shortened and a sawn-off stock that modified the shotgun to only consist of a pistol grip style handle,” the facts read.

Irvine told police: “I had that years ago and I’d forgotten it. I buried it years ago, I don’t remember but it’s obviously there. I don’t want mum to get into trouble for something she knows nothing about”.

There is no suggestion Irvine‘s mother is accused of any wrongdoing.

During a search of a carport, officers found a Nutt & Muddle poker machine from the 1970s with the gaming artwork of “Jokers Galore” along with a mechanical handle and coin slot and tray.

Irvine said the machine was a gift he received 12 months beforehand that he had intended to restore for his mother. He said he didn’t realise it was illegal to own.

The police continued to search the property throughout the day, also locating a baseball bat with the “head end completely embedded with screws”.

Irvine will be sentenced on September 12.

Irvine told officers he had a mate that made medieval weapons who gave it to him, however he had never used it.

“It was never going to come out of the house,” he told police.

Later that afternoon, police located two rifles hidden among slabs of concrete on the property.

Irvine said the rifles had been stashed at his house but did not reveal who put them there.

He told police, “someone says ‘oh can you stash something at the back?’. I really didn’t know what they were stashing. I don’t ask you know”.

Officers seized a Ruger .223 calibre bolt action rifle fitted with telescopic sight and bi-pod and a .375 Ruger calibre bolt action rifle with telescopic sight along with a large amount of ammunition.

Irvine was arrested and taken to Wyong police station. He has been in custody since his arrest on December 8 and will be sentenced on September 12.