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Police notice easing of tensions in gang war since many high-profile members detention..
Leading Hells Angel, Brian Sandberg, has been found guilty of attempted murder today (Photo: Scanpix)
The largest ever trial involving Danish motorcycle gangs has resulted in 15 out of 16 charged individuals being convicted of attempted murder and assault. One man was released on Monday without charge.
The trial of four full members of the Hells Angels – including leader Brian Sandberg – and 12 henchmen has taken six months and was based mostly around the testimony of a 25-year-old informant.
The 15 individuals were charged with having carried out four shootings, planning a further two as well carrying out assaults using weapons. Their victims were mostly young men with immigrant backgrounds.
One of the shooting targets was ‘Little A’ (Lille A) who is a leading member of the rival Blågårds Square Group (Blågårds Plads Gruppen) in Nørrebro.
The court in Glostrup ruled that the informant's testimony was supported by forensic evidence, witness statements, telephone recordings and video surveillance, which the judge stated was necessary in order to convict the accused.
The informant told to the court before the summer holiday who had participated in the various shootings and assaults, who gave the orders and why they happened.
He has already been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by the High Court for his part in five shootings though his sentence has been reduced due to his cooperation with the police.
But throughout the trial the defence has attempted to question his credibility and have accused him of lying about important events.
The Hells Angels have called the case a “well-planned miscarriage of justice”.
The arrest of many of the bikers most notorious members involved in the gang conflict, has meant the Hells Angles have been effectively shut down. Hells Angels spokesperson Jørn “Jønke” Nielsen has moved to Jutland and many of the remaining leaders are being held in custody.
It is now thought that the Hells Angels group in Ishøj have taken over much of the power base from the Copenhagen region and that they are starting to recover.
The arrest of Brian Sandberg in autumn last year has led to a calming of tensions between the immigrant gangs and the bikers. Conflict has since broken out within the immigrant gangs and also between the Hells Angels and rival biker gang, Bandido’s, in Esbjerg.
Sandberg was found not guilty of attempted murder at an incident at a Vesterbro kiosk as the court found the informant's testimony about the event to not be reliable.
His testimony was still used by the court to convict other bikers of the attempted murder however.
Sandberg was convicted of manslaughter in a shooting at the Surf’n Play-café on Rantzausgade in Nørrebro. He alleges, however, that his car was shot at earlier in the evening.
The 15 men will be sentenced next week.
