Comanchero bikie Matthew Douet released on bail after alleged pub assault

South Coast chapter secretary of the Comanchero Matthew Douet applied for bail at Wollongong Local Court via audiovisual link on August 12, after spending just over two weeks in jail following an alleged assault.

Comanchero bikie Matthew Douet.

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A high-ranking member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang has been granted bail after allegedly punching a pubgoer who refused to buy him a beer.

South Coast chapter secretary of the Comanchero Matthew Douet applied for bail at Wollongong Local Court via audiovisual link on August 12 after spending just over two weeks in jail following an alleged assault at a Shellharbour pub.

Douet was arrested by Strike Force Raptor officers at his Shell Cove home about on July 24, three days after he allegedly assaulted a man, 51, at the Central Hotel in Shellharbour.

According to police facts tendered to the court, Douet asked the man if he was a member of the Fourth Reich Motorcycle Gang.

“I heard you’re in the Reich,” Douet said, according to court documents.

“Nah, mate, who told you that,” the alleged victim replied.

Douet allegedly asked the man once more if he was “in the Reich”, saying his associates had told him he was.

According to court documents, the conversation took a turn when Douet allegedly told the man to “go buy me a beer”.

The Central Hotel at Shellharbour.

The alleged victim told Douet he did not have much money and could not afford to, with police alleging Douet said he “didn’t care”.

Police facts say at this point the victim became “scared and uneasy” before Douet allegedly said “let’s go to the carpark then”.

Police allege the man turned away before Douet allegedly walked around the back of him and punched him in the head, knocking from his chair and leaving him unconscious.

But CCTV footage played to the court on Monday showed a different version of events. According to Douet’s defence lawyer Dan McMahon, the footage showed Douet assault the man, but not in the way of a punch to the back head as set out in the facts.

“[The alleged victim] does not lose consciousness either as they facts would say,” he said.

Prosecutor James Sala agreed the police facts were slightly different to the events depicted in the CCTV footage, but opposed Douet’s bail application due to his links to the outlaw motorcycle gang.

“He is a fully-patched member of the Comanchero,” he said.

“Violence is sometimes promoted within their ranks and it’s certainly not frowned upon.”

Wollongong Local Court. Picture: Steven Bell

According to the police facts, Douet made full admissions about being a member of the Comanchero and that several items related to motorcycle gang were seized during a search of his Harbour Boulevarde home on July 23.

Mr McMahon said while Douet has links to the motorcycle gang, he had not committed an act of violence since becoming a fully-patched member.

Magistrate Clisdell said the events in the CCTV footage were “not as serious” as those alleged in the police facts and granted bail on the condition he did not contact any of his bikie associates or the alleged victim.

Doubt is facing three charges including affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and participate in criminal group. He has not yet entered any pleas to the charges and will return to court next month.

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