Rebels president Damien Vella sentenced for resisting police

A national bikie president who copped an eyeful of OC spray from police during a roadside vehicle check in Sydney’s west has learned his fate after he defended a charge of resisting arrest.

Rebels national president Damien Vella and his partner leaving Penrith Court.

A national bikie president has been fined after a magistrate found he resisted police during a confrontation over his bikie colours in Sydney’s west.

Damien Vella, 42, was charged with resisting arrest after Raptor Squad officers pulled him and his partner over while they were riding his Harley Davidson through Silverdale on December 2, 2021.

He pleaded not guilty and defended the charges in a daylong hearing at Penrith Local Court.

The court heard Vella was pulled over by Raptor Squad officers Constable Steven Norris and Senior Constable Alexander Brimfield for a roadworthiness check on his Harley Davidson.

Vella was wearing his bikie colours – a sleeveless leather vest and a singlet emblazoned with Rebels emblems – and had his fiancee on the back of the bike at the time.

Constable Norris first issued a red label – a defect notice meaning the bike could not be ridden until issues were addressed – on Vella’s bike for having no reflectors.

Rebels national president Damien Vella and his partner leaving Penrith Court.

The constable then asked Vella – who is subject to a firearm prohibitions order – to hand over the vest so he could check it for weapons.

When Vella did not immediately relinquish the vest, Constable Norris deployed OC spray, which Vella’s barrister Michael Coroneos said amounted to unreasonable force.

At Penrith Local Court on January 30, Magistrate Gregory Moore delivered his judgment, finding Vella guilty of resisting Cnst Norris.

“It was not unreasonable for (Cnst Norris) to refuse to search the jacket while he was wearing it,” Mr Moore said.

“The use of the OC spray was for five seconds – it was used longer than three seconds, but only for one second more, and I do not find it was unwarranted or unnecessarily prolonged.”

Mr Moore noted Vella was repeatedly asked to hand over the jacket, that he became aggressive and raised his voice before the spray was deployed.

Vella was convicted of the single offence and fined $500.

His barrister confirmed a conviction appeal has been lodged in the NSW District Court.