OFF THE WIRE By Eric Tlozek Police are set to continue prosecuting members and associates of outlaw motorcycle gangs for breaking Queensla...
OFF THE WIRE
By Eric Tlozek
Police last week offered no evidence in one prosecution, against two members of the Life and Death Motorcycle Club and the girlfriend of one member, for drinking together in the Dayboro Tavern.
The three all pleaded guilty to wearing prohibited items for donning vests linked to the club and were issued with small fines.
One, 40-year-old mother of three Sally Kuether, is a multiple sclerosis sufferer who spent six days in custody after being arrested.
She would have been jailed for a minimum of six months if found guilty of breaking section 60A.
A government source told the ABC the dropping of the charges showed the prosecution was a "waste of police resources" and should not have progressed.
But new Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath has not indicated Labor will definitely remove the offence from the criminal code, saying the Government will not base any decisions on specific court cases.
Instead it will review the laws with a special taskforce reporting to the Premier in December.
Queensland Police also withdrew charges last month against three people who allegedly broke the laws in Mt Isa in February 2014.
But police said prosecutions were continuing against the remaining defendants, including seven people charged for meeting in the Yandina Hotel in November 2013.
Those defendants, allegedly members of the Rebels Motorcycle Club, expect to fight the charges when they come to court in June.
The father of two of the defendants, Mike Smith, said the decision to drop charges against the Dayboro Tavern defendants heartened those facing charges for meeting in Yandina.
"Every decision made by police has ramifications down the track," he said.
But he said the family was not afraid to fight the charges in court.
"My family has suffered so much because of this," he said.
"Let's go to court and see what happens."
By Eric Tlozek
Police are set to continue prosecuting members and associates of outlaw motorcycle gangs for breaking Queensland's anti-bikie laws by meeting in public.
Thirty people still face charges under laws introduced by the former Liberal National Party government which ban three or more bikie "participants" from "knowingly meeting in public".Police last week offered no evidence in one prosecution, against two members of the Life and Death Motorcycle Club and the girlfriend of one member, for drinking together in the Dayboro Tavern.
The three all pleaded guilty to wearing prohibited items for donning vests linked to the club and were issued with small fines.
Every decision made by police has ramifications down the track.The father of two of the defendants Mike Smith.
One, 40-year-old mother of three Sally Kuether, is a multiple sclerosis sufferer who spent six days in custody after being arrested.
She would have been jailed for a minimum of six months if found guilty of breaking section 60A.
A government source told the ABC the dropping of the charges showed the prosecution was a "waste of police resources" and should not have progressed.
But new Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath has not indicated Labor will definitely remove the offence from the criminal code, saying the Government will not base any decisions on specific court cases.
Instead it will review the laws with a special taskforce reporting to the Premier in December.
Queensland Police also withdrew charges last month against three people who allegedly broke the laws in Mt Isa in February 2014.
But police said prosecutions were continuing against the remaining defendants, including seven people charged for meeting in the Yandina Hotel in November 2013.
Those defendants, allegedly members of the Rebels Motorcycle Club, expect to fight the charges when they come to court in June.
The father of two of the defendants, Mike Smith, said the decision to drop charges against the Dayboro Tavern defendants heartened those facing charges for meeting in Yandina.
"Every decision made by police has ramifications down the track," he said.
But he said the family was not afraid to fight the charges in court.
"My family has suffered so much because of this," he said.
"Let's go to court and see what happens."
