Comanchero bikie Matthew Douet accused of separate pub attacks
A South Coast Comanchero bikie accused of punching two men at two different pubs just months apart has had his curfew hours reduced.
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A high-ranking Comanchero bikie accused of punching two men in the head in separate incidents just months apart has had his curfew restrictions relaxed, after his defence lawyer claimed the conditions were too strict.
Matthew Douet, South Coast chapter secretary of the Comanchero Outlaw Motorcycle Club, had his curfew reduced from 8pm to 4am to 10.30pm to 4am on Thursday, after he was charged with two counts of affray following two allegedly violent incidents at pubs south of Wollongong last year.
The first alleged incident occurred at the Central Hotel in Shellharbour on July 21, when police allege Douet punched a man in the head after believing he was part of the Fourth Reich motorcycle gang.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege Douet was at the pub with his mates when he approached a 51-year-old man and said “I heard you’re in the Reich”.
The victim denied any involvement with the gang, at which time Douet allegedly told him he was in the Comanchero, then ordered the victim to buy him a beer.
When the victim refused, Douet allegedly punched him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
Douet was charged with affray, assault and participating in a criminal group two days later after police from Strike Force Raptor raided his Shell Cove home.
Following his arrest, it’s alleged Douet made full admissions to being a fully-patched member of the gang.
He was granted bail on August 12 but allegedly offended again on October 5 after punching and tackling a second man at another Shellharbour pub.
In court documents, police allege Douet was drinking at the Links Tavern when he started talking to a man seated on a bar stool in the TAB room.
Police allege Douet then launched an unprovoked attack on the man, throwing a single punch to his head.
He was arrested almost a week later and charged with affray, spending the next five months in jail before he was released to strict bail in March this year.
Douet has pleaded not guilty to the charges of affray and participate in criminal group and was due to face hearing next month, however due to COVID-19 restrictions, the hearing has been pushed back until at least September.
The 30-year-old’s case was mentioned by his lawyer Mahmoud Abass at Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, who argued his strict curfew conditions should be relaxed so he could “do what he needs to do”.
When pressed about what he needed to be doing outside the house at night by police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall, especially during a period of isolation, Mr Abass said the purpose of bail “wasn’t to punish” a person, rather to mitigate risks they may pose to the community.
Sergeant Wall argued Douet did pose a risk to the community, given he was facing two charges of affray.
“These offences occurred on people he didn’t know,” she said. “He’s attacked (them) in the early hours of the night and that’s the concern.”
While Magistrate Michael Stoddart did not agree with removing curfew restrictions altogether, he did agree to move the curfew start time from 8pm to 10.30pm.
Douet will return to court in September.