Rebels bikie Matthew Bruce loses appeal over 21 year jail term

Bikie enforcer Matthew Bruce carried a machine gun in a guitar case while overseeing a litany of violent crimes, but he’s paying the price.

A rebels bikie enforcer who carried a machine gun in a guitar case as he oversaw a litany of violent crimes, including drive-by shootings, drug trafficking and arson, has lost his fight to reduce his two-decade prison stint.

Strongman Matthew Bruce was in 2020 jailed for at least 15 years for orchestrating a series of terrifying crimes across Melbourne’s west.

Bruce enlisted his twin sister, long-time girlfriend and mistress — who is also his girlfriend’s sister — to help carry out his criminal enterprise across three months in late 2018.

In February this year, Bruce launched an appeal against his 21.5 year maximum sentence, arguing it was manifestly excessive.

In particular, the former bikie boss singled out two charges – the breach of his Firearm Prohibition Order and the drive-by shooting – for which he claimed the sentences were too harsh.

The machinegun Matthew Bruce carried while committing a litany of violent crimes.

Bruce’s appeal also argued that excessive cumulation of his nine separate offences led to a total effective sentence which is manifestly excessive.

The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, labelling Bruce’s conduct “very serious offending indeed”.

The court found Bruce demonstrated a “flagrant disobedience” for his firearm prohibition order, acquiring no less than six high-powered guns within months of being served with the order.

Justices Christopher Maxwell and Maree Kennedy ruled Bruce’s sentence was well within range in the unusual circumstances of this case.

Bruce, dubbed ‘Matts Tatts’, pleaded guilty to more than a dozen offences in July 2020.

Bruce will serve at least 15 years’ jail.

Bruce’s Rebels bikie uniform.

In the space of less than three months in late 2018, the former Sergeant-at-Arms possessed a trafficable quantity of guns, trafficked five times the large commercial quantity of ice and organised the firebombing of two cars, insurance fraud and a drive-by shooting in early 2019.

With the help of his girlfriend Bruce filmed himself as he fired a SKS military weapon, which can have a kill-shot of more than 300m, in broad daylight in Wombat State Forest, near Mt Macedon.

The shocking footage was used in an advertisement for potential buyers of the gun on the black market, as Bruce desperately tried to make some fast cash.

Bruce was a high priority for the anti-bikie Echo task force, which ran an intensive operation to lock him up.

That inquiry found he was using lackeys to run a chain of safe-houses where he would store his guns.

Victoria Police declined to comment on the Court of Appeal ruling.

But it is believed senior officers are delighted the sentence against Bruce, one of the stiffest in the state’s OMCG history, will stand.