Sarah Bruce, twin sister of Rebels bikie boss Matthew Bruce, denied bail
The twin sister of Matthew Bruce, a high-profile member of the Rebels bikie gang, has been denied bail after the mother-of-four was charged with a string of serious offences.
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The twin-sister of a top Rebels bikie has had her bid for freedom quashed over her alleged role in an alleged major drug and gun trafficking syndicate.
Sarah Bruce, sister to the Rebel’s Melbourne chapter Sergeant-At-Arms Matthew Bruce, will remain behind bars to fight allegations she trafficked ice, was involved in a drive-by shooting and organised a Valentines’ Day arson attack earlier this year.
Police allege the mother-of-four worked as a conduit to help in her bikie brother’s violent offending which included attempting to sell a high-powered assault rifle hidden in a guitar case.
Ms Bruce, 36, was charged alongside her brother Matthew and his partner and her sister — Cursty and Jessica Shields — in February this year.
Four more men, Rodney Brooke, David McGlone, Ali El-Ali and Michael Condon, have also been charged as part of the alleged syndicate.
Bikie-busting detectives arrested the group after covert surveillance and phone taps allegedly revealed the siblings organising a “barbecue” on February 14.
Investigators believe “barbecue” was code for torching two cars outside a Melton area home where two people were sleeping inside.
During a second failed bail application by Ms Bruce this week, the court heard Mr Bruce told his sister the arson orders were coming direct from someone in jail.
“It needs to be done tonight,”
“Make sure it gets done, Sarah,” Mr Bruce allegedly said.
At 3am, Ms Bruce allegedly messaged her brother, thanking him for the barbecue.
She has also been charged with trafficking large amounts of ice — just five grams shy of the commercial quantity — with “easily intercepted” non-coded conversations revealing her brother wanted to “ramp up sales”.
Meanwhile, Ms Bruce is alleged to have organised a man to intentionally crash into her sister-in-law, Cursty Shield’s, beat-up car so the group could claim almost $12,000 in insurance.
She has since been charged over a drive-by shooting, during which shots were fired into a Melton home just two days after the arson attack.
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While Ms Bruce has not been charged with firearm trafficking, Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said it was clear she had a “working knowledge of the criminal enterprise” and was used as a go-between in the attempted sale.
“Her role is not someone who is just told what to do and does it,”
“She’s higher up than that,” Ms Mykytowycz said.
Defence had argued with suitable conditions on her bail, the risk of releasing her could be reduced.
Ms Mykytowycz disagreed and refused bail, citing a strong prosecution case and risk to the community.
Ms Bruce and her co-accused will face a committal hearing next month.