AUSTRALIA - Finks are 'unfairly tarnished': Lawyer

OFF THE WIRE
Luke Royes
 goldcoast.com.au
A NOTORIOUS Gold Coast bikie gang says its reputation is being unfairly tarnished by lawyers to justify violence.
The Finks Motorcycle Group is angry it has been linked to high-profile court cases by people looking to gain `street cred or power', when the gang had nothing to do with the case.
"The Finks motorcycle club are very concerned that someone has raised a defence of self-defence by claiming that the deceased person was a member of the club," the club's lawyer Bill Potts said.
This month a jury in the Supreme Court in Brisbane acquitted Gold Coast man Ashley Colin Hoy, 35, of murdering love rival Craig Hill.
During the two-week trial the court was told Mr Hoy had been threatened by Mr Hill, believed to be a member of Finks.
Lawyers for Mr Hoy argued he acted in self-defence.
However, the motorcycle club denied Mr Hill had any connection with the group.
"Mr Hill wasn't and never has been a member of the club and to their knowledge he never associated with the club," Mr Potts said.
"They are concerned that people would raise these allegations to justify violence."
Mr Potts who in 2009 likened the Finks to `Rotary but with tattoos' when members and dozens of their associates were arrested on 160 extortion, grievous bodily harm, possession of weapons charges conceded motorcycle groups had a reputation.
However, he said the successful defence raised by Mr Hoy's counsel was `frightening'.
"I'm not saying they're victims of bad publicity but some people claim an association to get some sort of street cred or power," he said.
"The claim that a belief someone was a member of the club is a reason to use lethal force is concerning."
While Mr Hill had been released from prison just three days before he was gunned down at a family barbecue, his mother, Helene Tierney, said her son was never a member of the Finks.
United Motorcycle Council Queensland spokesman Russell `Camel' Wattie said people making false bikie associations for notoriety was not a new phenomena or one confined to the Finks club.
"There's no doubt there are people going around saying they are a member of a bike group when they're not," he said.
"It's been happening forever.
"If they are falsely claiming it they will have to pay very severe consequences they will have police on their case."
Camel said it also created more public relations and police problems for the clubs.
"If they're not linked at all and cause problems, then it brings the clubs into disrepute with the community and the police," he said.

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