Cop kill threat led to bikie bust, court told

The contents of a message allegedly sent by one of Queensland’s most notorious and recognisable ex-bikies – who has been on the run for more than a year – was the trigger for heavily armed police to storm an Airbnb property.

A MESSAGE that “coppers are going to die today” – allegedly sent by one of Queensland’s most notorious and recognisable ex-bikies – was the trigger for heavily armed police to storm an Airbnb property in Western Australia.

Brett Sole Pechey, who calls himself “Kaos”, was swooped on by the tactical response group and gang crime squad detectives in Perth’s east on Friday morning after the alarming threat, and accompanying vision of a shotgun, emerged.

Pechey bailed after Gold Coast siege

Once dubbed Queensland’s most wanted man, Pechey, 33, was tracked down to a short-term rental on Frederick Street with the help of police drones and an exhaustive house-to-house search.

Brett "Kaos" Pechey. Picture: Mark Calleja

Police also allegedly discovered a sawn-off shotgun in a white Holden Commodore down the road, being driven by Adam James Iustini — one of Pechey’s associates.

After his surrender last week, the heavily-tattooed former Bandidos bikie gang leader briefly appeared in Northbridge Magistrates Court on charges including threats to kill and aggravated possession of a weapon, possession of stolen property and breaching a police order.

Pechey, who has been on the run from Queensland Police Service since December 2018 – when a warrant for his arrest was issued, has been laying low in Perth for the past 14 months.

Brett Sole Pechey has been on the run from Queensland police for more than a year.

The warrant came after Pechey failed to attend Southport Magistrates Court, where he still faces a number of charges including serious assault of a police officer and commit public nuisance.

A spokesperson for the court said the situation was “quite iffy” — referring to the lengthy period over which the charges had now been before the courts.

The unresolved charges stem from an alleged three-hour stand-off between Pechey and more than 26 police officers at a Gold Coast home in March 2018.

Police allege the former Bandidos boss barricaded himself in the property armed with swords and threatened officers “he would stab them if they didn’t shoot him”.

Only days after he was granted bail following that alleged incident, his then-partner – Insta-famous Rikki Louise Jones, posted a photo announcing the couple’s engagement and impending move to Perth.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman yesterday said Pechey’s bail conditions had allowed him to relocate to Perth, but required that he report to local police and “obviously” continue to show up for court in Queensland.

“We may consider applying for extradition, but it really depends on the nature of the current charges he’s facing in WA,” he said, adding that Pechey had first breached bail related to his Queensland offences in February 2019.

“He’s definitely still wanted by police.”

In 2013, Pechey was dubbed Queensland’s most wanted man after he fled to Thailand following the infamous 2013 Broadbeach bikie brawl.

Neither Pechey nor his associate, Mr Iustini, applied for bail on Saturday and will face court again in the coming weeks.

Pechey’s Brisbane-based lawyer, Campbell McCallum, said he had yet to be contacted by his high-profile client but understood the 33-year-old was in the process of asking his lawyers in different jurisdictions to liaise with one another and prepare a defence.

A spokesperson for Queensland Corrective Service said Pechey had never been imprisoned.

“He as never been in our custody,” he said, adding that this did not include times Pechey had spent on remand or in the watch house.

Originally published as Cop kill threat led to bikie bust, court told