Raptor North arrests six men after Lake Macquarie pub brawl

Four alleged members of a bikie gang are among six arrested after a man was assaulted in a pub brawl. It comes as police seized a shotgun, rifle with silencer and a semiautomatic weapon.

Raptor North officers charged six people after a pub brawl in Lake Macquarie. Picture: NSW Police

Police have arrested six people, including four alleged members of a bikie gang, and seized guns and drugs after a pub brawl in NSW’s Hunter Region.

Police said a 36-year-old man who was asked to leave the pub on February 18 became argumentative, grabbed a female employee’s arm and threw a glass at the wall.

A brawl later broke out in the pub’s carpark and a 33-year-old man was assaulted.

Raptor North officers were called in to investigate and police raided four homes at Cardiff, Edgeworth, Gillieston Heights and Newcastle West at 5am on Tuesday.

Police claim they found five firearms, cannabis and MDMA during the search warrants.

Six people were charged by Raptor Squad officers investigating a pub brawl in Lake Macquarie. Picture: NSW Police

Four men will appear in Toronto Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: NSW Police

After the raids four men aged between 26 and 36, and two women aged 32 and 36 were arrested and taken to local police stations.

All four men allegedly involved in the brawl were refused bail with two men, aged 29, of Newcastle West, and 26, of Gillieston Heights, facing Newcastle and Maitland Local Courts on Tuesday, where they were granted conditional bail.

The two other men allegedly involved in the brawl faced Toronto Local Court on Wednesday including Blair John Kelly, 36, of Edgeworth, who was charged with 14 offences.

These charges included assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, affray, participating in a criminal group, possess unauthorised firearm, possess unregistered firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit, possess prohibited drug, possess/use prohibited weapon without permission, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV).

He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused for him to reappear at Newcastle Local Court on April 3.

His partner meanwhile, Amanda Jay Parsons, 36, of Edgeworth, also faced court charged with possessing an unauthorised and unregistered firearm, and being the owner of a car who did not disclose theidentity of another driver/passenger.

Her solicitor told the court Ms Parsons cared for a young child and owned her own beauty business.

He said she denied any knowledge of the guns allegedly found at her address and was “so drunk” at the Minmi Hotel on the night of the alleged brawl she could not remember anything.

The court heard police allegedly found a loaded shotgun at her address, along with a rifle fitted with a silencer.

She was granted strict conditional bail to report to police daily, abstain from drugs or alcohol, abide by a curfew and not associate with her partner Mr Kelly or anyone associated with an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Amanda Jay Parsons, 36, of Edgeworth, leaving Toronto Local Court after being granted bail for firearm offences following an investigation by Strike Force Raptor police into a brawl at Minmi Hotel allegedly involving the Bandidos. Picture: NewsLocal

Harley Paul Hendrik Lamotte, 29, of Cardiff, also faced Toronto Local Court on Wednesday charged with 14 offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others, affray, participate criminal group, possess unauthorised firearm, possess unregistered firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit, possess prohibited drug, and fail to notify change of residential address as prescribed.

Dressed in a high-visibility work shirt Mr Lamotte sat in the dock and was represented by Newcastle solicitor Cameron Duncan who applied for bail, telling the court his client had just one low-range drink-driving offence on his record.

He said ultimately Mr Lamotte would face extensive delays given the nature of the charges and the number of co-accuseds.

Mr Duncan said Mr Lamotte had not lived at the address for “a very long time” and denied any knowledge of the firearms and even if he was found guilty, he may received a non-custodial sentence.

However Magistrate Peter Barnett said it appeared to be an “extremely strong prosecution case” after police allegedly found a semiautomatic firearm in a duffel bag at Mr Lamotte’s unit.

Magistrate Barnett said Mr Lamotte was also allegedly involved in the “gratuitous brawl” at the Minmi Hotel.

Mr Lamotte, a fitter and turner, was refused bail to reappear at Toronto Local Court on April 4.

A fourth person, Tiani Mariah Tauiwi, 32, of Cardiff, faced Toronto Local Court charged with seven offences, including possess ammunition without holding licence/permit, possess unregistered firearm, and possess unauthorised pistol.

Police allegedly seized guns and drugs during the raids. Picture: NSW Police

Picture: NSW Police

She was granted bailwith the court hearing she had no prior criminal record.

Raptor North co-ordinator, Detective Inspector Peter Walke, said police will not tolerate these unprovoked acts of violence.

“These alleged brawls and assaults occurred in a public bar with innocent bystanders caught up in the middle, this is completely unacceptable behaviour,” he said.

“As a result of these warrants, police also seized five firearms and drugs – uncovered as a result of police being called to investigate a brawl.

“Raptor North officers are continuing to take a strong approach to targeting OMCG activity in the Hunter. When you are a member of such a club, you need to expect that you will be under added scrutiny from police. This sort of violence is not on,” Det Insp Walke said.