Senior Nomads bikie Justin Bell charged over alleged Edgeworth kneecapping

Police allege a who’s who of the Nomads senior hierarchy were enjoying a fancy dinner before a nominee was lured to a lonely road and kneecapped because he broke one of the club’s rules.

High-ranking Nomads bikies cut short a fancy seafood meal to allegedly lure a nominee to a lonely Lake Macquarie road and shoot him as a form of discipline after the wannabe gang member was caught drug driving, according to court documents.

And the police fact sheet tendered in Maitland Local Court on Wednesday allege Justin Bell, named as the gang’s former national treasurer from Gillieston Heights, became so infuriated when he suspected someone was leaking information that he ransacked the home of one witness and followed another family member to work.

Bell, 27, was arrested by Strike Force Undola detectives on Tuesday following an almost five-month investigation into the alleged kneecapping of the Sydney-based Nomads nominee on April 8.

Senior Nomad Justin Bell has been charged over the alleged kneecapping of one of his gang chapter’s nominees. Picture: Facebook.

According to the police facts sheet, Bell remained a member of the Sydney chapter of the Nomads while on strict bail after being arrested with several other high-ranking bikies in June over an alleged home invasion of a former rival bikie at West Wallsend last year.

But Bell found himself back behind bars on remand on Wednesday afternoon after an unsuccessful release application, where his legal team argued he was his family’s sole breadwinner and needed to have his liberty.

Justin Bell

He faces a range of fresh charges, including knowingly direct activities of a criminal group, accessory after the fact of special aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, discharge firearm intend cause grievous bodily harm, steal property in dwelling, and threat/cause injury/harm to prevent information to police.

The charges relate to Bell allegedly being the involved in the “preparation and planning” of a violent home invasion at Edgeworth and the kneecapping of the nominee at Freemans Waterhole before the injured man was driven more than 20km away and dumped.

According to the court documents, Bell had been intercepted speaking about the alleged Edgeworth home invasion, in which a woman would later need surgery after allegedly being struck twice with a “Rambo-style” machete by another high-ranking bikie, the blows so hard it exposed muscle.

Police alleged the machete was used only after a Luger pistol failed to fire after it was pointed at a window of the Edgeworth home as the men raided the home on March 8.

Police will allege a month later, the nominee was picked up at Cardiff train station and lured to a lonely intersection at Freemans Waterhole after being told there was a compulsory meeting of Nomads members.

Police allege a group of senior Nomads dined at Scratchleys seafood restaurant before a compulsory meeting was called for all members and a nominee was lured to be shot.

Police alleged all members were notified to get to the meeting in their club colours as senior bikies dined during a birthday celebration at Scratchleys seafood restaurant, one of the most up-market foodaries in Newcastle.

A who’s who of senior Nomads were at the dinner, including Bell.

Police also allege the kneecapping victim was picked up at Cardiff train station by another Nomads member before he was taken to Henny Penny at Edgeworth, where it’s alleged Bell and others met up with them and they drove in convoy to Freemans Waterhole where they met up with further gang members.

According to the police facts, the alleged victim was told to “come here” by a senior Nomad before he was shot in the right leg, just above the knee.

Police allege the man was shot because he had broken “club” rules by being caught driving under the influence of methamphetamine, or ice.

They also allege the same Luger pistol used in the Edgeworth home invasion, and later seized at a storage facility at Cardiff, was used to shoot the 24-year-old.

Justin Bell was named in police facts as the former national treasurer of the Nomads bikie gang. Picture Facebook.

The court documents allege he was then carried over and placed into another car and driven back to Edgeworth, more than 20km away, and dumped.

He was later taken to John Hunter Hospital for surgery and has refused to cooperate with police.

Detectives do not allege Bell was the shooter, but rather helped plan the shooting and other offences.

“These offences were committed by high-ranking members of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang and utilised weapons accessed and stored by the group,” the police facts said.

“The shooting of the victim took place as a direct enforcement of “club” rules of the Nomads and the accused Bell was complicit in luring [the victim] to the remote area for the purposes of being shot.

“Police will further allege the accused was in control of the club’s bank accounts and finance and contributed to the directing of the Nomads OMCG as a criminal group.”

A man was found shot in the leg on Arnott St, Edgeworth about 9.10pm on April 8. Picture: Google Maps.

Bell’s legal team argued the 27-year-old could again be released on bail, considering the alleged offences occurred before he was granted bail at Toronto Local Court and that he continued to be restricted by an anklet and other onerous conditions.

But magistrate John Chicken said police facts alleged Bell had organised the cleanout of a man’s house of furniture, televisions, and a fridge after suspicions rose about someone speaking to police.

That alleged break and enter, which Bell’s legal team said he would strenuously defend, occurred after his bail was granted for the alleged West Wallsend home invasion.

Police search an area near the intersection of Wakefield and Sugarloaf Range roads on August 11, 2022 as part of an investigation into the kneecapping of a Nomads bikie nominee.

Bell wil remain in custody on remand until October.

He was one of two people arrested this week by Strike Force Undola investigators, after 42-year-old Carley Lee Moon was taken into custody on Monday.

Moon, who is a relationship with a senior Nomad, faced Newcastle Local Court charged with 12 offences, including special aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, accessory after the fact of discharge firearm intend cause grievous bodily harm, conceal serious indictable offence, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, possess unauthorised pistol, possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, act with intent to influence witness, and threat/cause injury/harm to prevent information to police.

It is alleged her car was used in the Edgeworth machete home invasion.

Moon was refused bail to appear in Toronto Local Court on October 25.