Bikie convicted over fatal shootout given working with children’s check
Updated
A former bikie convicted over the 1984 Milperra Massacre in which a teenage girl was shot and killed, has been cleared to work with children by a Sydney court.
Key points:
- The man was convicted for affray and manslaughter following the 1984 massacre
- He was one of 33 people tried together for the crime
- He sought the working with children clearance to be able to continue coaching junior rugby
The man, who can only be identified as DPO, was at the shootout between members of the Comancheros and the Bandidos motorcycle club which left the girl and six bikies dead, and many others seriously injured.
He had become a club member just two weeks before the deadly shootout at the Viking Tavern, Milperra, in Sydney’s south-west.
The gun battle, during a motorcycle show in the car park on Fathers’ Day, was the culmination of bad blood within the Comancheros that had caused some members to leave and form the Bandidos club in 1983.
DPO was among 43 people originally charged with seven counts of murder under the doctrine of “common purpose” — charges against 10 were subsequently dropped — and it became the longest joint criminal trial in the state’s history.
In a judgement, the Administrative Appeal Tribunal today ruled his conviction over the 14-year-old girl’s death should not disqualify him from being granted a working with children clearance.
The court heard DPO did not accept his conviction for affray and manslaughter arising from the September 2, 1984 massacre.
“The Applicant has yet to recognise the seriousness of his conduct or accept responsibility for it,” the judgement said.
“Instead he has a longstanding sense of injustice and anger about what he perceives to be misconduct, victimisation and injustice, and he inappropriately sought to minimise to the Tribunal his involvement and responsibility for the events associated with the disqualifying event.”
The Tribunal found several matters weighed in his favour, including his extensive achievements in education since the offences, “his pro-social careers and pastimes” since release from prison and his devotion to, and support of, his children.
DPO, who represented himself before the Tribunal, was seeking the clearance to be able to continue to coach junior rugby union teams.
A character reference from one of DPO’s rugby associates described him as a “passionate advocate” for the sport.
“In his role as coach I personally witnessed [DPO] shape what could have been described as a bunch of highly-charged, inexperienced individual ball runners into a cohesive and effective team of extremely loveable boys.
“As a parent I felt completely comfortable with [DPO] in his role as a coach and mentor to both my boys.”
The office of the Children’s Guardian was restrained by legislation from granting the Working With Children clearance, but supported DPO’s application for a court order to enable one to be granted.
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