Finks bikie boss Troy Fornaciari sentenced after dramatic 2018 arrest

High-ranking Finks bikie Troy Fornaciari will remain behind bars until at least July next year, after being sentenced for several “serious” charges on Thursday.

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High-ranking Finks bikie Troy Fornaciari will remain behind bars until at least July next year, after being sentenced for several “serious” charges on Thursday.

Fornaciari, former president of the Finks South Coast Chapter, appeared at Wollongong Local Court in front of Magistrate Susan McGowan on May 2, where he was sentenced to three years six months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years, six months, after pleading guilty to offences including affray, possessing an unauthorised firearm and dealing with proceeds of crime.

Troy Fornaciari, was arrested in a fortified, partially-renovated OMCG clubhouse in February last year.

In handing down her sentences, Magistrate McGowan acknowledged Fornaciari had a desire to change his life and said she hoped he followed through once released.

The 35-year-old, known for the tattoos that cover his face and head, has been in custody since February last year, following his dramatic arrest by Strike Force Raptor at the Finks North Wollongong clubhouse, where a loaded pistol with a silencer, ammunition and stolen ute were seized.

After the arrest, the father of two was also charged with affray after he bashed an associate who’d just had a motorcycle accident in 2017.

Fornaciari lent his Harley Davidson to Jacob Nyrhinen, who then had an accident on the Princes Motorway at Dapto.

Paramedics were still helping Nyrhinen as he lay on the road when Fornaciari arrived, lent over the injured man and started punching him in the head, enraged that his bike had been damaged.

Fornaciari proceeded unleash a barrage of expletives and insults, which lead to paramedics locking themselves in their ambulance and hitting the “duress” button. When police arrived, Fornaciari was “agitated” and “pacing back and forth”.

One of the officers told Fornaciari to leave the area and he allegedly responded: “Go f**k yourself you piece of s**t.”

The father of two says he wants to remove his tattoos and start a new life.

At a previous court appearance, Fornaciari’s defence lawyer Graeme Morrison told the court his client had taken responsibility for his actions, and wanted to remove his infamous tattoos and start a new life.

In handing down her sentence on Thursday, Magistrate McGowan said while she was “guarded” about Mr Fornaciari’s prospects of rehabilitation, the former bikie boss had displayed a change in behaviour.

“Mr Morrison said the defendant proposes to relocate from the area and have his tattoos removed,” she said.

“Getting rid of his tattoos is a good idea if it can be done- good luck with that- to help the defendant keep a low profile which can only be beneficial.”

Magistrate McGowan took into consideration Fornaciari’s plans to start a new life, and ordered that he be supervised on parole for 12 months after his release, in order to assist with his rehabilitation.

Troy Fornaciari.

Outside the court, Mr Morrison said Fornaciari’s behaviour and mental state was “the best he had seen in years”.

“Over the last 12 months I’ve been acting for him he’s quite settled and stable in many respects,” he said.

“In terms of incarceration he’s been put by himself for 23 of 24 hours, I just can’t imagine that and I think it would drive anyone insane but he’s done pretty well so far.”

Fornaciari, who suffers from nightmares, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, has started taking medication while incarcerated, which Mr Morrison said has played a large role in his change of attitude.

“For the first time in his life he’s taking medication that is appropriate for his condition. He acknowledges now there are some issues in relation to post traumatic stress and he’s getting on top of that.

“I don’t think his lifestyle has been conducive to his mental health and I think he’s growing up a bit, maturing a bit and wants to do something different other than trying to play silly buggers with the law”.