BIKER NEWS -- A high-profile bikie has been jailed over a home invasion in which he and a former Hollywood trainer demanded money fr...
BIKER NEWS -- A high-profile bikie has been jailed over a home invasion in which he and a former Hollywood trainer demanded money from a couple and two men were assaulted.
Shane Scott Bowden, 43, a one-time Olympic cycling hopeful but now a member of the Mongols and reportedly the gang's national sergeant-at-arms, was dressed in camouflage gear when he stood at the end of the couple's bed in a South Yarra home in the early hours of January 20.
Bowden and Aysen Unlu, a one-time celebrity nutritionist and fitness trainer to the likes of Beyonce and Britney Spears, had gone to the home to demand money.
The woman in the bed woke to see Bowden in the room and screamed, the County Court heard on Wednesday, and her partner got out of bed and fought with the bikie.
At one point Bowden kicked the man in the face and stomped on his head, Judge Wendy Wilmoth said, while Unlu hit another man who was staying in the house over the head with a spanner. He punched her in the face in response.
Judge Wilmoth said Bowden had a knife, night goggles and a jemmy bar, but that the woman staying at the house had grabbed the knife and taken it outside when she ran to call the police. The man agreed to give Bowden between $500 and $700 so that he and Unlu would leave.
The court heard police found Bowden and Unlu hiding near the house and that her car — with the registration plates AYSEN — was still in the driveway.
A previous court hearing was told Unlu had denied being in the house despite investigators finding part of her tooth inside.
Judge Wilmoth said the use of a knife to demand money was a "grave crime" and jailed Bowden for three years and nine months, and to serve two years and four months before he is eligible for parole. Bowden has already served more than 300 days in custody.
Unlu was earlier this year sentenced to a two-year community corrections order by a magistrate.
Bowden pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, theft and two counts of recklessly causing injury.
The court heard Bowden had once attended the Australian Institute of Sport and had once dreamt of representing his country in cycling at the 1996 Olympics.
But after experiencing burn-out he turned to bodybuilding and began attending gyms, where he met bikies and was lured by their sense of camaraderie.
Judge Wilmoth said Bowden had not experienced such belonging as a child, as he was adopted to a couple with older siblings when he was a baby. Bowden's biological parents were both aged 12 when he was born, the court heard.
Bowden, who has an 18-year-old son, has spent 13 of the past 15 years in custody, the court heard, mostly in Queensland on convictions for aggravated burglary, assault and drug offences.
This article was first published on November 18, 2015
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