NSW bikie sergeant faces court over murder

A senior NSW Rebels bikie has appeared in court over the "particularly violent" fatal bashing of a man on the Central Coast. The head injuries suffered by Clint Starkey, a bikie associate, during the assault at the Caltex outlet in Peats Ridge in early April were so severe he never recovered.

The 42-year-old died in Gosford Hospital two months later.

Adam Symons, a 36-year-old sergeant-at-arms of the outlaw motorcycle gang, was arrested during dawn raids across the Central Coast region on Tuesday.

He was charged with Mr Starkey's murder, and did not apply for bail when the matter was mentioned briefly in Gosford Local Court on Wednesday.

As Symons was being questioned, police released CCTV footage showing the lead-up to the brutal assault, and called on anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin described the crime as particularly violent.
"It appears that the assault was the result of a dispute that occurred between the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang and associates," he told reporters on Tuesday.

Insp Jubelin said police had a clear picture of why Mr Starkey was targeted but wouldn't elaborate.
The video clearly showed two men, and he said at least four people were directly involved, while others played roles in the planning of the assault and cleaning up the crime scene.

Insp Jubelin said those depicted in the images should be "pretty worried" because they were clearly identifiable. Mr Starkey was due to face court not long before he was bashed but police have said the incident is not related to the legal proceedings against him.

Symons will return to court on December 22.


Australia - BN.