Three bikies front court for bashing a senior bikie

A disowned senior Nomads’ bikie accused of being a “rat” was ambushed and bashed in a vicious sledgehammer assault as tensions in the gang boiled over.

Three Nomads’ bikies have admitted their roles in the vicious assault on a disowned senior bikie figure– who they thought was a “rat”– after he turned up at their clubhouse in Melbourne’s west.

Oliver Frood-Marich, 27, Osama Hamze, 37, and Lance Tufuga, 32, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Thursday to a charge of intentionally causing injury to Jesse Watt, president of Nomads Melbourne city chapter.

Frood-Marich was the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Nomads westside chapter while Hamza was a former Sergeant-at-Arms and Tufuga was vice president of that chapter at the time they offended.

The trio were among seven Nomads’ bikies Echo Taskforce detectives arrested for the assault outside the gang’s Laverton North clubhouse on July 28, 2022.

A rift between members of the Nomads westside and Melbourne city chapters led to the alleged bashing of ousted senior bikie Jesse Watt.

Christoper Field, Reece Wangman and Ricky Binks are going to trial in May while a warrant to arrest has been issued for Isaiah Grace who failed to turn up for his plea on Thursday.

The court heard that police intercepted WhatsApp messages that outlined a rift between members of the Nomads westside and Melbourne city chapters in the lead up to the assault on Mr Watt who they believed made comments that undermined senior Nomads office bearers.

They also accused him of gunning for the world vice president role held by Ahmed Hamze.

Senior Nomads members had allegedly planned to fly in from Queensland to see punishment exacted against Mr Watt at a planned July 29 president’s meeting. When Mr Watt got wind of the plot, he allegedly handed in his resignation so he didn’t have to attend.

Police making arrests over the bashing of one of the gang’s former presidents outside its clubhouse in Laverton North. Picture: Supplied/Victoria Police

Hours prior to the assault on Mr Watt, CCTV footage showed all seven men except Osame Hamze allegedly arrive at Mr Watt’s Point Cook house in a Mazda ute on July 28, 2022 to assault him, seize his motorcycle and to recover Nomads paraphernalia.

They allegedly returned to their Laverton North clubhouse and CCTV footage showed a Holden Statesman arriving outside the Nomads clubhouse at Laverton North less than two hours later.

Mr Watt left holding a Jerrycan and poured petrol over a Mazda ute before the seven men allegedly set upon and assaulted Mr Watt who fell to the ground.

Frood-Marich struck him with three punches and nine kicks most of which were to his head, Tufuga landed five kicks while Osama Hamza punched him once and kicked him four times.

Detectives swooped on properties in Sunshine West, Point Cook, Canadian, Williamstown, and Truganina following the alleged bashing of senior Nomads’ bikie Jesse Watt. Picture: Supplied/Victoria Police

Mr Field allegedly struck him with a sledgehammer nine times to the back and ribs.

Mr Watt managed to get back to the Holden Statesman and was driven away.

Judge Carolene Gwynn has ordered that Frood-Marich, Hamze and Tufuga be assessed for a community corrections order.

They will be back in court on April 15 for further plea.