Notorious Gold Coast bikie Nick “The Knife” Forbes takes helm as club president

One of the Gold Coast's most notorious bikies is back on the Glitter Strip — allegedly recruiting gang members as the new national president of the Mongols.

ONE of the Gold Coast's most notorious bikies is back on the Glitter Strip allegedly recruiting gang members as the new national president of the Mongols.

Nick “The Knife” Forbes walked from a Brisbane court this week after being extradited from South Australia in May. Police have told the Bulletin he is now in charge of one of the biggest gangs in Australia while living on the Coast with his son.

Forbes sprung to prominence more than a decade ago, as part of the Finks “Terror Team” and starting one of the wildest bikie brawls this country has seen, The Ballroom Blitz.

Since then he has served stints in prison for that brawl, another wild melee in South Australia against the Hells Angels, and for randomly bashing innocent people on the Gold Coast.

Nick 'The Knife' Forbes (right) is seen leaving Brisbane Supreme Court, Brisbane, Monday, September 9, 2019. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

“He has definitely stepped up and taken over, what that means for the Mongols, I don’t know, but the next few months will be interesting,” a police source told the Bulletin.

“He’s idolised by these young bikies, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re trying to get a stronger foothold here on the Coast.”

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Police also fear having the national president of an outlaw motorcycle gang in the city will result in an increase of members.

“There is definitely a big push for new members, a big drive,” a source said.

“We’re hearing the Mongols are trying to expand their activity as well.”

Forbes was released from a South Australian prison in May. He served time for his involvement in a wild brawl inside an Adelaide nightclub in mid-2011, where he went toe to toe with Hells Angels members.

Initially acquitted over the charges, Forbes faced a retrial in 2016 and was sentenced to Two-and-a-half years in prison.

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Nick "The Knife" Forbes leaves the Brisbane Watchhouse, Brisbane on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.

Waiting for his release, Queensland detectives gained an extradition for Forbes to face drug charges, and fraud charges as part of an alleged cold call investment scheme involving former Gold Coast detective Mick Featherstone.

In May, his defence lawyer Michael Gatenby indicated Forbes would contest the charges.

Unexpectedly, Forbes was given bail on May 28. As he walked from the Brisbane Watchhouse, he told waiting journalists that “I’ll die a Mongol” and that he was off to “party”.

This week, he walked from court after being caught with a litre of steroids and 13 ecstasy tablets in 2015. Justice Soraya Ryan accepted the drugs were not part of a commercial operation and that Forbes had been using them to help with back pain.

He was sentenced to Two-and-a-half years in jail, with immediate release.

Image of from the Ballroom Blitz

Miffed by his release, police are now privately questioning whether the extradition was a smart idea — considering he is a free man and is now in charge of one of the biggest gangs on the Coast.

Another source told the Bulletin that Forbes was an old-school bikie, who “wouldn’t tolerate any s — t”.

Forbes rose to notoriety as part of the Finks “Terror Team” before members patched over to the Mongols.

He was at the centre of the wild Ballroom Blitz brawl between the Finks and the Hells Angels during a kickboxing tournament at the Royal Pines Resort in March 2006.

The melee broke out when Forbes threw a punch at Christopher Hudson. Shots were fired and a number of people were stabbed.

It’s believed the fight broke out because Hudson defected from the Finks to the Hells Angels.

Forbes spent 27 months behind bars for the violent incident.

In January 2008, he was arrested for his part in a violent rampage through Broadbeach Mall, randomly attacking up to six innocent young men — one punched so hard he fractured his eye socket. Forbes was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison over the attacks.