A Canberra bikie accused of bashing a man in a town centre and then threatening to shoot up his mother’s house has been denied bail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police say Alex Bourne, 26, who is alleged to be a member of the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, has waged a campaign of intimidation while trying to collect a $16,000 debt from the man, including threatening to kill a family pet.
Bourne on Friday offered to pay a $1000 surety if the ACT Magistrates Court granted him bail on charges of aggravated robbery, assault occasioning bodily harm, and making a demand with a threat to kill.
He also entered pleas of not guilty to all charges.
His alleged co-offender, Michael David Reece, also known as Redbeard or Red and who police believe is also a bikie, was bailed earlier in the week after paying a $2000 surety.
Court documents said the alleged victim owed Reece money after he crashed the gang members uninsured motorcycle in October last year.
The pair agreed to meet in Gungahlin town centre about 6pm on January 16, where Reece told the man the Rebels had taken his colours from him because the bike had not been repaired.
Bourne then allegedly took the man's car keys, threw personal possessions from the car into the street, and forced him to write a bill of sale for $200 on a piece of paper.
The defendant then allegedly punched the man about four times and continued to hit and stomp his head when he fell to the ground, fracturing his eye socket in the process.
Court documents said the pair then made him sign the receipt and took his Holden Commodore.
They allegedly threatened to shoot him and his mother's house if he did not pay the outstanding $15,000 within a week or spoke to police.
A police informant told the court on Friday the incident was captured on CCTV and witnessed by the man's family, a friend and members of the public.
But he said police were having trouble obtaining statements as potential witnesses feared the gang.
Prosecutor James Walker opposed bail, arguing Bourne could reoffend or intimidate witnesses if released from custody.
Mr Walker - who described the attack as unprovoked, brutal, and sustained – said the evidence before the court indicated Bourne had vigorously pursued the man and his family over the debt.
He said the harassment had only ceased after Bourne was arrested last weekend.
But defence lawyer Paul Edmonds said his client had no history of violent offences and had not threatened witnesses in the week between the alleged incident and his arrest.
Mr Edmonds said Bourne was willing to pay the court a $1000 surety and submit to strict bail conditions, including a curfew and reporting, if released.
Magistrate Robert Cook denied the application, saying Bourne posed an unacceptable risk to the community.
Bourne was remanded to reappear in March.