Saturday, October 23, 2010

Australia, Peter Zervas pleads guilty to damage

OFF THE WIRE
AAP

Hells Angel Peter Zervas has pleaded guilty to a charge of damaging property at his mother's home.

Zervas' name became synonymous with Sydney's outlaw motorcycle gang scene after his younger brother Anthony was killed in a brawl at Sydney Airport in March last year.

Days after the killing, Zervas was seriously injured when his car was sprayed with bullets outside his home.

Advertisement: Story continues below In July this year, Burwood Local Court in Sydney refused the 34-year-old's application to be tried under the Mental Health Act on charges of damaging property, and stalking and intimidating his mother Fredericka Bromwich.

On Friday, Zervas pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property, but a charge of stalking was withdrawn.

The court was told that on the afternoon of January 6 this year, Zervas was at the Lakemba unit in southwest Sydney he shared with his mother Fredericka Bromwich, when he allegedly damaged hundreds of dollars worth of property, including ceramic dinner plates and a glass dinner table.

Some of the property had belonged to his dead brother.

Magistrate Timothy Keady formally imposed an Apprehended Violence Order against Mr Zervas, ordering him not to harass, intimidate or interfere with Ms Bromwich for 12 months.

He agreed to a submission by Zervas' lawyer to adjourn the sentence for the property damage charge until after his trial on charges related to the airport brawl.

Medical reports previously tendered to the court said Zervas had a "long-standing involvement in the use of illicit substances" and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder partly as a result of his brother's death.

The matter has been set down for sentence at Downing Centre Local Court on January 11 next year.