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Friday, August 12, 2011

AUSTRALIA - WA bikies face court over lying

OFF THE WIRE
Lawyers for several Coffin Cheaters bikies and associates accused of lying to the West Australian corruption watchdog over a brawl with rival gang the Finks say their clients will plead not guilty to the charges.

Nine Coffin Cheaters members and associates face a total of 31 charges, mostly related to giving false or misleading evidence at a Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) hearing.

Six of the men - Aaron Dinesh James John, Danny Sydney Makin, Paul Pellegrino Mule, Benjamin John Ortin, Todd Carl Lange and David John Reid - made their first appearances in the Perth Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Brothers Troy and Clint Byfield and Mohammed Alamdar appeared in court last week.

The charges all relate to a brawl between members of the Coffin Cheaters and Finks gangs at the Perth Motorplex in October last year.

CCC lawyer Michelle Harries told the court on Friday that more time was needed to consider whether to apply for a joint trial and whether to ask for the cases to be sent to a higher court.

However, several lawyers for the accused men said they opposed a joint trial.

Ortin's lawyer Seamus Rafferty said it was "staggering" that the prosecution had not already made a decision.

The maximum penalty for giving false evidence to the CCC is a three-year prison term in the magistrates court and a five-year prison term in a higher court.

All of the men will reappear in court on August 26.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/wa-bikies-face-court-over-lying-20110805-1iexq.html