Stabbing death of Gold Coast Bandido associate Max Waller was ‘about a girl’

THE stabbing death of Gold Coast Bandidos associate Max Waller was “about a girl” and had nothing to do with motorcycle gangs, according to a lawyer defending two men involved.

Max Waller died from stab wounds at Broadbeach

THE stabbing death of a Bandidos associate on the Gold Coast was “about a girl” and had nothing to do with motorcycle gangs, according to a lawyer defending two men involved.

Max Waller, 28, died outside a Broadbeach apartment complex on June 23, 2013 after being stabbed repeatedly in the chest.

Wade Yates-Taui, Cohen Andrew Smith and Benjamin Thomas Mortimer were originally charged with murder, but pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to a downgraded offence of manslaughter.

Mongols bikie Wade Yates-Taui fled to the US after the killing of Max Waller with the help of the outlaw motorcycle club's underworld network, according to police

Solicitor Michael Gatenby, who represented Yates-Taui and Mortimer, told reporters outside court the incident had “nothing to do with any motorcycle club”.

“It seems to have been a relationship, it’s always about a girl,” Mr Gatenby said.

“The irony of the whole thing is that these were a group of friends.

“It’s a tragedy for all four families, someone lost their life and these people were unfortunately involved in it.”

All three men were remanded in custody and will face court again on June 9 for a sentencing date to be set.

Wade Yates-Taui was arrested in the US