Bikie enforcer Matthew Bruce jailed for 21 years

A “villainous” Rebels bikie who ruled a violent crime ring in Melbourne’s west and ordered his cronies to commit drive-by shootings won’t be free until he’s almost 60 after he was labelled a “menace to the community”.

Bikie boss Matthew Bruce was jailed for at least 15 years for series of violent crimes.

A “villainous” bikie enforcer who orchestrated a series of terrifying crimes across Melbourne’s west has been jailed for at least 15 years.

In the space of less than three months, Rebels strongman Matthew Bruce, 38, gathered no less than six high-powered 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.

Using manipulation, fear and his bikie colours, Bruce enlisted his twin sister, long-time girlfriend and mistress — who is also his girlfriend’s sister — to help perpetrate the series of crimes throughout suburban Melbourne.

Following a mammoth sentencing stretching two days and several weeks of plea hearings, County Court Judge Bill Stuart on Friday ordered Bruce spend 21 years and six months behind bars for his “villainous conduct”.

“You, Matthew Bruce, are a menace to the community,” Judge Stuart told the bikie boss, known as ‘Matts Tatts’.

The one-time sergeant-at-arms for the outlaw motorcycle gang will be almost 60 when his sentence expires.

Cursty Shields and partner Matthew Bruce.

Detectives said Bruce used his bikie colours to instil fear and intimidation in others.

Bruce pleaded guilty to more than a dozen offences including trafficking huge quantities of ice to other dealers and street-level buyers and possessing a trafficable quantity of firearms.

With the help of his girlfriend, Cursty Shields, 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 Forrest, near Mt Macdeon.

“There you were, casually smoking a cigarette, while firing an assault rifle,” Judge Stuart said.

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.

The gun was seized by police during a raid of a “safe house” owned by Bruce’s associate, where he had stored four guns, including a bolt action rifle, a sawn-off shot gun and handgun.

But this did little to deter his crime spree which continued to increase in intensity, Judge Stuart said. Just days later on February 10, Bruce organised a staged collision to write-off Ms Shield’s car in an attempt to claim an $11,000 insurance payout.

Bruce then ordered the Valentines’ Day arson of two cars outside a suburban home at the behest of a jailed mate, before providing one of his prized shotguns to two men with instructions to shoot at a family home two days after that.

Bruce hid his SKS military assault rifle in a guitar case.

Burnt out cars following arson attack ordered by the Rebels bikie.

The court heard there is still no clear motive for the near-deadly shooting, with bullet fragments missing a woman sleeping inside by mere centimetres.

Judge Stuart said the offending was disturbing in both its “gravity and diversity”.

“Your lawlessness must be condemned,” he said.

Echo detectives busted the crime syndicate in late February last year, charging the bikie and multiple associates.

Judge Stuart acknowledged Bruce had become a “model prisoner” since his arrest 18 months earlier and regarded his prospects of rehabilitation as “at worst, poor and at best – guarded”.

The court heard Bruce had suffered a deprived upbringing and had a criminal history spanning almost 15 years which included mostly deception related offences.

Judge Stuart said the most recent crimes were an “extraordinary escalation” and was not satisfied Bruce was remorseful.