Bandidos bikie Harley Paul Hendrick Lamotte jailed for firearm charges, affray appeal abandoned

A Bandidos bikie has learned his fate for a haul of drugs and guns found at his Cardiff home last year but a plan to appeal a recent jail sentence imposed over a wild pub brawl didn’t go as intended.

A group, including bikie Harley Lamotte were charged by Raptor Squad officers investigating a pub brawl in Lake Macquarie. They raided several homes across the Hunter in March 2023 and found firearms. Picture: NSW Police

Almost a month after a wild pub brawl in Newcastle, police raids uncovered drugs and guns at several homes across the Hunter including that of a Bandidos bikie.

Harley Paul Hendrick Lamotte, 30, became involvement with fellow club members in a violent brawl at a fundraiser at the Minmi Hotel on February 18 last year before police raided his Lake Macquarie home the following month.

Raptor North officers called in to investigate the brawl swarmed four homes at Cardiff, Edgeworth, Gillieston Heights and Newcastle West on March 14 last year.

A Macquarie Rd address at Cardiff was that of Lamotte’s and his then girlfriend where police facts detailed they discovered and seized a bag containing 70 grams of cannabis in the kitchen hidden in an exhaust fan and a black duffel bag containing eight vials of steroids under a stairwell.

Officers also uncovered a Bandidos membership card and vest with the word ‘prospect’ on it, an imitation machine gun, two revolvers and 142 rounds ammunition.

Raptor Squad officers investigating a pub brawl in Lake Macquarie raided several homes across the Hunter in March 2023 and arrested several men including Harley Lamotte who was charged with firearm offences. Picture: NSW Police

But not home at the time, Lamotte had actually been stopped earlier by police at Cardiff where they searched his vehicle and located a small amount of meth and clear resealable bags.

He was taken to Toronto police station and forensically tested by buccal swab, while firearms were also tested and his DNA found on the trigger of the imitation machine gun.

Lamotte was a member of the Bandidos bikie club.

Minmi Hotel where Lamotte was involved in a wild brawl with fellow bikies. Google Maps

Police facts detailed that officers also examined his iphone and found photographs of him with a pistol tucked into his pants and of Lamotte wearing Bandidos clothing.

He pleaded guilty to possession of an unauthorised pistol and a charge of possession of an unauthorised firearm, while other charges of possession of an unauthorised pistol, drug possession and possession of ammunition would be taken into account.

In Newcastle District Court on Tuesday Judge Anthony Blackmore sentenced Lamotte to two years and eight months jail with a non-parole period of 18 months.

He said although the weapons were not loaded, their possession was of “very serious concerns to the community”.

Raptor North officers charged a group of men after a pub brawl in Lake Macquarie. Picture: NSW Police

Despite being advised to move away from the OMCG group, he said there was no evidence he would do so and his continued involvement was conflicting with his remorse.

Earlier in court, Lamotte was forced to abandon an appeal over the severity of his jail sentence imposed in May for his involvement in the wild pub brawl in front of about 200 shocked patrons.

Judge Blackmore said if Lamotte did proceed it was likely he would increase his sentence of 30 months.

“He deserves everything he gets in respect to that matter,” he said.

He pleaded guilty to affray and a charge of participation in a criminal group was taken into account, while he was found guilty over a charge of knowingly displaying in public a Nazi symbol, which related to a tattoo.

Lamotte, along with fellow Bandidos bikies Blair John Kelly and Koda Tredinnick and another man Dylan Alwyn Griffin were involved in the violent melee during a suicide prevention fundraiser at the Newcastle pub.

The court previously heard Lamotte was the main perpetrator involved and assaulted patrons, including one patron who he coward punched and fell to the ground unconscious.

In May Tredinnick and Kelly were also jailed while Griffin was the only one not to receive jail time and was slapped with a community correction order (CCO).