Bikies jailed, cycles taken

Press, 5 July 1977, Page 4

Bikies jailed, cycles taken

The degree of gang war-, fare in Christchurch was notorious throughout New Zea-, land, said Mr J. S. Millar, I S.M., when sentencing six I members of the Templeton motor-cycle gang in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr Millar described the! gate-crashing by the gang, members of a private' engagement party at 94 Riccarton Road on April 24 as' “a shocking outrage; an attempt to terrorise lawabiding citizens by gang violence”. Although damage to property as a result of the fracas was given as $l4OO, Mr Millar said that the assessment by the insurance' assessor was closer to: $lBOO. The six gang members were each convicted on June: 15 of six charges relating to the incident, including three of assault and one each of unlawful assembly, wilful damage, and burglary.

Michael Colin Best, agedj 20, “the acknowledged leader and instigator of the whole incident”, was jailed for 18 months and had his motorcycle confiscated. He was

also ordered to pay S5OO to the complainants, Mr and Mrs T. Fairbrother, and was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for two] years.

David Arthur Best, aged; 26, was jailed for 12 months! and had his car confiscated. He was ordered to pay $2OO restitution and disqualified, from holding a driver’s 11-1 cence for two years.

-i In spite of being a first; I offender and, at 18, the you-' Ingest of the six, Mr Millar! ’ltold Anthony Sidney Wood' that he was the second! : i worst offender and appar-i i ently the most violent of the, ■{group. He was ordered to ■ pay $5OO restitution, his' motor-cycle was confiscated. ! and he was disqualified from' ’i holding a drivers licence for i'two years. Gary Wayne Tavendale. 'aged 19, was sentenced to: detention-centre training, j with the special condition' • that afterwards he live and, work where directed by a; probation officer, abstain I from alcohol, and pay $2OO j to the complainants. He was! disqualified from holding a{ : driver's licence for two • years. I Mr Millar told Wayne Jeffrey Warwood, aged 20, i that it was all very well expressing penitence while in custody but he had shown no mercy to those at the engagement party. j Warwood was jailed for I

12 moths, had his motor ve-l hide confiscated, was dis-1 qualified from holding a| driver’s licence for two; years, and was ordered to; pay $2OO restitution.

Brent Steven Gregg, aged; 21, who, said the Magistrate,; had committed several! offences of varying degrees; of seriousness in the last six years, was jailed for eight;

months. He was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for two years but, because he had a wife and child, was exempted from paying compensation.