John Bedson jailed for the shooting murder of Bandidos bikie Ross Brand

UPDATE 1.48pm: A BIKIE who gunned down a rival from another gang in a drive-by shooting was jailed for 18 years today.

UPDATE 1.48pm: A BIKIE who gunned down a rival from another gang in a drive-by shooting was jailed for 18 years today.

Justice Elizabeth Curtain told Rebels member John Bedson, 27, he shot Ross Brand, a member of the Bandidos, out of a misguided loyalty his bikie gang.

Mr Brand, 51, described as a Bandidos enforcer, died when Bedson fired a hail of bullets at the rival gang's Geelong headquarters in Breakwater from the rear of a utility.

"Clearly Mr Brand's death and the senselessness of it has had dramatic consequences for his loved ones," Justice Curtain said.

Derek Bedson, 23, a half-brother of John Bedson, was jailed for eight years for his part in the shooting.

The judge described the shooting, which occurred in October 2008, as a very serious example of a very serious crime.

Members of both gangs filled the courtroom in the Supreme Court in Geelong today and members of the media were menaced by unknown gang members as they tried to pass through security to cover the case.

John Bedson's trial heard that as he was being driven from the scene of the shooting he said,  "I think I got one,'' and had later told associates, "there's a couple of them lying on the ground.''

The driver of the utility said he had heard a noise like firecrackers and turned to see John Bedson with the butt of a rifle to his shoulder.

Justice Curtain said the shooting arose out of a minor incident at Geelong Races between associates of the two gangs, but in which neither brother was involved.

John Bedson was a member of the Rebels and an associated group Death Before Dishonour but his half brother was not a member of either organisation.

However Derek Bedson was incensed that an associate of the Rebels has been assaulted and then arrested and decided to shoot up the Bandidos clubhouse.

John Bedson met up with some other men and drove past the clubhouse and stopped for a short time.

He drove away and met up with with Derek Bedson and jumped in the rear of hishalf brother's utility, where there was a .22 semi-automatic rifle.

The judge said they drove past the clubhouse and as they did several men emerged including Mr Brand.

John Bedson peppered the building with bullets from a rear window of the ute, one of which struck Mr Brand in the forehead.

Another man Paul Szerwinski, was hit in the thigh and wrist but survived.

The judge said the fact that the shooting was carried out on a public holiday, in a suburban street, in broad daylight was an aggravating factor.

She said the incident would never have occurred if Derek Bedson has not decided to seek revenge.

The men who were targetted also had nothing to do with the incident at the Geelong Cup.

John Bedson, of Ocean Grove, was found guilty by a jury of murdering Mr Brand and guilty of intentionally causing serious injury to Mr Szerwinski.

Derek Bedson pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Brand and guilty to reckless conduct endangering the life of Mr Szerwinski.

The judge set a maximum term for John Bedson of 23 years and 12 years for Derek Bedson.