Anti-consorting laws begin to bite in Tasmania as warning notices issued by police
Find out how many convicted criminals have been served with “official warning notices” as part of new controversial anti-consorting laws to stop organised crime groups from gaining a foothold in Tasmania.
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EIGHT convicted criminals have been served with “official warning notices” as part of new controversial anti-consorting laws to stop organised crime groups, such as outlaw motorcycle gangs, from gaining a foothold in Tasmania.
The anti-bikie laws were given the tick of approval in September after legislation restricting members of outlaw motorcycle gangs from wearing club colours in public passed at the end of August.
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Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Cowling told the Mercury the rollout of the first official warning notices occurred during January and were initially confined to a small number of convicted criminals based in the North-West of the state.
The tool, which prevents known criminals from associating, will be used by cops statewide over the coming months, with the prohibited insignia legislation also expected to be in force by August.
“Eight convicted criminals were each personally served notices not to associate with one another, with 56 notices being served in total,” Assistant Commissioner Cowling said.
“The notices remain in force for five years and during that time, if the served convicted offenders are found consorting with any of the other served convicted offenders in the absence of a legitimate defence on two or more occasions, they face arrest and prosecution.”
The five bikie gangs known to be on Tasmania Police’s radar are the Bandidos, Rebels, Outlaws, Devils Henchmen and Black Uhlans.
Police Minister Michael Ferguson said the State Government would continue to take a “tough-on-crime” approach in a move to deter serious offenders from establishing, maintaining and expanding their networks.
“Our prohibited insignia legislation will give police the tools they need to crack down on criminal bikie gangs, as well as send a clear message that organised crime gangs are not welcome in Tasmania,” Mr Ferguson said.
“The regulations that will prescribe the identified organisations that the law applies to will be in force within the next six months as we follow due process set out in the Act.
“This comes on top of our consorting laws, which Tasmania Police has already started using to prevent crime by keeping known criminals from associating.”
Under the amended Police Offences Act,a “prohibited item” is any piece of clothing, jewellery or accessory that displays the name, club patch or logo of an identified gang.
It also bans any image, symbol, abbreviation, acronym or other form of writing that indicates membership of, or an association with, an outlaw motorcycle club, including the 1 per cent symbol.
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