Senior Rebels bikie fronts court on serious violence charges

A high-ranking Rebels bikie tortured a man by bashing his kneecaps in with a sledgehammer and pulled out his nose ring with pliers during a sickening assault.

Rebels’ bikie Phillip Maynard has pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including false imprisonment and intentionally causing injury.

A high-ranking Rebels bikie bashed a victim’s kneecaps with a sledgehammer and pulled his nose ring out during a violent robbery.

Phillip Maynard, a Rebels sergeant-at-arms, pleaded guilty in the County Court in October to false imprisonment, intentionally causing injury and theft.

He reappeared on Wednesday and has been remanded back in custody for sentencing on December 15.

Maynard punched Irfaaz Ali in the face 15 to 20 times, pulled his nose ring out with pliers and struck his kneecap with a sledgehammer during a violent robbery in Craigieburn in May last year.

The latter has since committed suicide.

Mr Ali was allegedly driven by two others to a dead-end dirt road in Craigieburn under the pretence of a proposed GHB drug deal.

Moments after they arrived, Maynard, who was trailing their vehicle, pulled up and punched Mr Ali in the face 15 to 20 times and whacked him with a sledgehammer in the back of the head, face and hands.

Phillip Maynard bashed his victim with a sledgehammer.

During the violent attacks that lasted about half an hour, Mr Ali told Maynard that he was part of the Hells Angels.

Mr Ali was fearful but was unable to get out of the vehicle due to the child lock on his door and his window being locked.

Maynard continued driving and performed a burnout on Summerhill Rd that was captured on CCTV. He stopped the car at the corner of Donnybrook Rd and Brookeville Rd in Craigieburn and got back into the back seat and again assaulted Mr Ali by punching him.

He then handed Mr Ali a packet of baby wipes and told him to clean himself up because there was blood everywhere. Maynard opened Mr Ali’s side of the door and the latter got out before the former drove off.

Maynard used a pair of pliers to rip out Mr Ali’s nose ring.

Mr Ali tried to run but was unable to because of the injury to his kneecap/thigh

and collapsed on the ground before dragging himself to the side of the road. He was

located by passers-by a short time later and they called 000.

Maynard stole Mr Ali’s $1650 Gucci side bag, iPhone, Versace wallet, necklace and cash.

He suffered multiple facial fractures, a broken nose and cuts and bruising.

Defence lawyer Morgan Brown said Maynard was exposed to trauma as a child which provided some context into issues such as his substance abuse and failure to engage in rehabilitative measures.

It was therefore unsurprising Maynard spent stints in youth detention, she said. However, Ms Brown said he had been in a stable relationship, consistent employment and stayed away from drugs which augured well for his rehabilitation.