Brothers Assassinate Bikie Gang Member

Crime: Murder and manslaughter
Occurred:  23 October 2008
Sentenced:  23 March 2011
Where: Bandidos' Clubhouse, Leather Street, Geelong
Convicted: John Bedson (murder) and Derek Bedson (manslaughter)
Victim:  Ross Brand

What happened?
On Geelong Cup Day (22 October), a fight broke out between a nominee of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and a member of the Death Before Dishonour club (a youth group allied with the Rebels).  John Bedson and his half brother, Derek Bedson, wanted to avenge the Death Before Dishonour member who had been assaulted.  They drove out to the Bandidos' Geelong club house with a .22 semiautomatic rifle.  Ross Brand and several associates came outside to see what was going on.  John Bedson fired six times, one bullet hitting Ross Brand in the forehead and another striking his associate near the right butt cheek, exiting through his left thigh.  Ross suffered horrendous brain injuries and died in hospital in the early hours of the next morning.

Ross Brand

Victim's background
Ross was 51 when he died. As a fully fledged Bandidos member, he was a targeted enemy of the Rebels, who suspected him of firebombing their clubhouse in the past.  A year earlier they had ambushed his home but he wasn't there.  Before he was shot he reached down toward his trousers.  John claimed he was reaching for a gun or a knife which he was known to carry around, whereas the Crown claimed that Ross was merely about to tuck in his shirt or do up his fly.  Police have stated there were reliable reports that Ross had access to guns and grenades.  He left behind his wife of 14 years and a 12 year old son. Among the flowers at the scene of his death was a note that read: "Dad, I really don't know what to write, I wish I didn't have to write anything, but here we are … we're all going to miss you so fucking much."

John Bedson as sketched in court.

John Bedson's background
John was 24 at the time of the killing.  He is the half brother of Derek.  During school he suffered from learning disabilities and left school after failing Year 10.  He began using ice, LSD and cannabis.  When he was 18 he formed the group Death Before Dishonour with some friends, and went on to become a full member of the Rebels. He has 17 prior convictions for incidents including kicking cars and brandishing a knife (both incidents occurred while intoxicated). He was living with his girlfriend and her nine year old son until the killing.  Under their influence he had stopped drinking.  He and his girlfriend were going to get married in December 2008, but he has been in remand since the killing.


Derek Bedson's background
Derek was 21 at the time of the killing.  He completed Year 12 VCAL at Belmont High School and afterwards traveled from Geelong to Melbourne to complete a carpentry apprenticeship.  He began using cannabis from the age of 12 and engaged in amphetamine use from the age of 18. He has had previous convictions for possessing a handgun without a license and drug possession.  Derek was not a member of any of the bikie gangs involved.

Outcome of trial: John offered to plead guilty to manslaughter but the prosecution pursued a murder indictment instead.  A jury trial was required and they found him guilty.  Derek pleaded guilty to manslaughter and no trial was needed.  The men were also convicted for causing injury to the man who was shot in the butt.

Sentence:

John: 18 years imprisonment before eligible for parole (23 years max), with over two years of the sentence already served in remand.
Derek: Eight years before eligible for parole (12 years max), with approximately a year and a half of the sentence already served in remand.

You can read the judgement here.  Media coverage is available here and here.

Several bikies attended the sentencing decision.

Drug Dealer Responds Poorly to Negative Review

Crime: Murder

Occurred:  26 July 2009
Sentenced: 18 February 2011
Where: 6 Elizabeth Street, Mount Evelyn
Convicted:  Marc Hamilton
Victim:  Tim Fleming

What happened?
On a Sunday afternoon, Marc had Tim, a few friends and his girlfriend over.  Marc gave Tim a bag of amphetamine and in return when Tim got home he sent over a bag of cannabis.  Later that evening, Tim came back to Marc's house and threw the bag of amphetamine at Tim in front of his mates, telling him that it was shit, diluted, and he would not sell it.  Marc responded by punching Tim four times in the face.  Tim tried to fight back and in the ensuing struggle Marc got the best of him and he ended up dazed on the floor.  Marc grabbed a nearby samurai sword and slashed Tim's shoulder blade.  He threatened to cut off Tim's knees to which Tim replied, "Your missus doesn't need to see this" (she was sitting on the couch cradling her puppy at the time).  Marc's told his friends to not let Tim leave, and went to his bedroom.  There was uncertainty at trial whether Marc's friends were assisting Mark or were simply innocent bystanders.  One of Marc's friends claims to have told Tim to leave - another one of the friends says that he told Tim to "stay on the fucking floor".  In any event, Marc returned with a shotgun and said "This one's for you" before shooting Tim in the head.  The bullet wound exited Tim's throat, severing his spinal cord and killing him instantly.

Friends and family say Tim was optimistic about his future.

Victim's background
Tim was 33 years old at the time of death.  In 2005 he broke his neck in a car accident and four years on was unable to work and awaited further surgery.  He had two sons, aged seven and 10.  He and his girlfriend were no longer together and he lived in a caravan at his parents' house.

Convicted's background
Marc was 27 at the time of the murder and grew up in a violent home; his father spent much of Marc's childhood in prison for murder as well as manslaughter and is now dying of cancer.  His stepfather was a violent alcoholic.  Marc's two siblings were each born to a different father.  He left school in Year 8 to become a brickie's labourer for his stepdad, who later died in a motor cross accident while Marc watched on in the crowd.  Up to the shooting Marc was smoking marijuana daily and abusing prescription medication.  Following employment as a building contractor he worked as a greenskeeper at the Heritage Golf Club at Chirnside Park.  His girlfriend left him after the shooting and he is now single.

6 Elizabeth Street, Mt Evelyn

Outcome of trial: Marc pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not-guilty to murder, and a trial was necessary.  The jury found him guilty.  When the verdict came down, Marc shook his head and said the justice system was "a fucking joke".

Sentence:  18 years before eligible for parole (23 years max), with over a year already served in remand.

You can read the judgement here.  Media coverage is available here and here.

Paranoid Husband Murders Pregnant Wife

Crime:  Murder
Occurred: 24 August 2010
Sentenced: 25 March 2011
Where: Easterleigh Court, Dandenong
Convicted: Lino Mamour
Victim: Juana Legge

What happened?
Lino believed that his wife, Juana, was cheating on him.  On the afternoon of her death, Lino claimed that Juana pulled up a chair for him to sit in and told him, "if you are not a coward you will kill me".  Lino grabbed his 34cm knife and stabbed her several times in the heart and chest, also piercing her sternum.  He then drove to the Dandenong Police Station, covered in blood, to confess his crime.


Victim's background
Juana was 29 years old at the time of death.  She married Lino in Sudan and came to Australia in June 2010, when she fell pregnant.  She has left behind a family of ten siblings, many of whom reside in Sudan. Thirteen victim impact statements were submitted to the court by family members impacted by her death.


Convicted's background
Lino was 41 years old when he killed his wife. Born and raised in Sudan as a Christian, he was the youngest of four brothers and his parents died within 12 months of each other when he was 14. He trained as an accountant in Sudan but when civil war broke out he fled to Egypt and came to Australia as a refugee at the age of 30.  He settled in Dandenong and worked as an aged care worker, a butcher and then a machine operator.  
In the months leading up to her murder, he was obsessed that his wife was cheating on him.  He was distrustful of her doctor and was increasingly absent from work because he was so upset that Juana was unfaithful.  He could not sleep.  Before the murder occurred he was booked in for counselling through his work, who were concerned his mental state was deteriorating.  The court found there was no basis for Lino's paranoid beliefs.  Shortly before Juana's death he purchased the murder weapon, a large knife, because he believed he was being followed.  The psychologist involved in Lino's case reported that he did not appear to have an ongoing delusional mental disorder and that his wife's pregnancy may have added stress to what could have been an 'adjustment disorder with depressed mood of moderate severity'.

Outcome of trial: There was no trial because Lino pleaded guilty.

Sentence: 14 years before eligible for parole (18 years max).

You can read the judgement here.  Media coverage is available here and here.