Rebel gets jail for drug offences

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A former president of the Rebels Motorcycle Club Bendigo chapter who was involved in a conspiracy to traffick drugs was yesterday sentenced to 19 months' jail.

 

But Paul John Maher walked from the Bendigo County Court a free man, having already served 410 days of the sentence - the remainder of which was suspended.

 

Maher, 40, of Nyah West, had earlier pleaded guilty to eight charges including conspiracy to traffick methlamphetamines, incitement to inflict serious injury and possess and cultivate cannabis.

 

Two of Maher's co-offenders - Robert Edward Hudson, of Warrnambool and Anthony Lewis Russell, of Launceston, also each pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to traffick methylamphetamines.

 

In the Bendigo County Court yesterday, Hudson received a nine month suspended sentence, while Russell received a 12-month suspended sentence.

 

The court was told that in early 2002, Bendigo Regional Response Unit police launched an investigation into suspected trafficking and manufacturing of drugs in the area.

 

Maher - who was at the time president of the Bendigo chapter of the Rebels Motorcycle Club - was the focus of the investigation.

 

Numerous conversations between Maher and other co-accused were monitored by police.

 

The content of those conversations, including code names for chemicals used to manufacture drugs, formed the basis of the conspiracy charge, the court heard.

 

In sentencing the trio yesterday, Judge Elizabeth Curtain took into consideration their pleas of guilty and the age of the offences.

 

She said while their conspiracy was "relatively short-lived," it was still a serious offence.

 

The court was told conspiring to traffick drugs carried a maximum penalty of 15 years' jail.

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