Hell’s Angels Bikie club president fined over Palm Beach Hotel fight
Gregory Pearce, the president of the Gold Coast chapter of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club, was involved in a fight with another man on January 19.
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A GOLD Coast bikie club president has been fined $2500 for his part in a violent fight outside a Palm Beach hotel in January and other offences.
Gregory Pearce, 45, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to a charge of affray, possession of cocaine and wearing a prohibited item in a public place.
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Pearce, president of the Gold Coast chapter of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club, was involved in a fight with another man outside Palm Beach Hotel on January 19.
The other man lost consciousness, after Pearce kicked him in the head, and was treated in Tweed Heads Hospital, the court was told.
The other man did not make a complaint or provide police with medical records regarding his injuries, so Pearce was not charged with any assault-related offences.
Pearce had known the other man for 20 years but the friendship had broken down after the other man became addicted to methylamphetamines, the court was told.
Pearce’s defence lawyer said Pearce had first tried to leave the hotel, but after the other man spat at him, Pearce jabbed him.
The magistrate was told Pearce, a builder with his own company and a father-of-two, was “not a man of violence” and was remorseful and ashamed.
Magistrate Bronwyn Springer said while there may have been events that caused Pearce to lash out, he could have walked away instead of engaging in the fight.
Ms Springer said she could understand that Pearce may have reacted after being kicked in the genitals.
Pearce also was charged with wearing a Hell’s Angels jumper, a prohibited item, in a public place, at Top Golf, next to Dreamworld, at Oxenford, on August 26, last year.
The jumper was allegedly made by Pearce after he was told by a lawyer that it would be legal to wear.
It had the words “Gold” and “Coast” on the sleeves and the words “Angel” and “Brotherhood” on the back, with the number 8173.
After seeing an image of the jumper, Ms Springer said in her view it was an inoffensive garment that would not cause an ordinary person to feel fear, intimidation or concern.
She fined Pearce $1000 for affray, $700 for the prohibited item and $800 for the drug possession, with convictions recorded.
As Pearce was on a six-month jail sentence, suspended for three years, at the time of the offences, Ms Springer ordered he be recommitted to the Supreme Court.
Originally published as Hell’s Angels Bikie club president fined over Palm Beach Hotel fight
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