Gypsy Jokers in WA the begining
John Olive
WA gold-mining town destroyed by bomb attacks
By DAVID REARDON
PERTH
Wednesday 8 November 2000
A tiny Western Australian gold-mining township has been reduced to rubble
after a terrifying campaign of bomb attacks, believed to be payback for the
murder of a bikie gang member.
Almost all of Ora Banda's 30 residents have fled the town over the past
fortnight, including a former top policeman who had retired to the historic
settlement to run the local hotel.
The Ora Banda Inn, owned by former CIB commander Don Hancock, was destroyed
last month in the first bomb attack at the town. His family home, the town's
general store and a gold battery were blown up on Sunday night.
Police said yesterday that only five people were still living at Ora Banda,
50 kilometres north-west of Kalgoorlie. The only structure left intact after
the four bomb attacks was the township's caravan park.
Media crews who arrived to cover the spate of bombings were forced off the
road by angry bikies on the outskirts of the township.
Mr Hancock is believed to have been targeted by bikies seeking revenge over
the October 1 murder of Gypsy Joker gang member William Grierson, who was
shot in the back by a sniper as he sat by a campfire at the Ora Banda
racetrack.
Bikies accused Mr Hancock because he had forced them to leave his hotel
earlier that night.
Mr Hancock confirmed that he had argued with the bikies but denied he had
anything to do with the murder.
"No way in the world did I do it," he said last month.
"Because I had an altercation, a very minor altercation, and kicked them
out, I guess I am the logical suspect with the bikies. But I didn't do it."
Mr Grierson, a 39-year-old father of two, left Victoria to work as a
mechanic in Kalgoorlie after his marriage broke down.
A motorcycle enthusiast, he joined the Gypsy Jokers after moving to
Kalgoorlie. His girlfriend was 22 weeks pregnant.
The latest bomb attacks could spell the end of the township, which was
established at the turn of the century as a trading post and watering hole
for prospectors.
Ora Banda had been in decline for decades until Mr Hancock bought most of
its buildings in 1996, encouraging an influx of prospectors and tourists to
the area.
As bomb squad officers scoured the wrecked township for clues yesterday,
police in Kalgoorlie raided the home of a Gypsy Joker motorcycle gang
member.
They seized an unlicensed .303 rifle, an unspecified quantity of cannabis
and two stolen vehicles.
David Shane Hitchcock, 26, was arrested and charged after the raid with
possession of cannabis, possession of firearms and failure to secure
firearms. Police would not say whether he was a suspect in the bomb attacks.
Premier Richard Court called on police to take a hard line against the
bikies, saying the events in Ora Banda were a disgrace.
He said his government would not hesitate to provide extra police resources
to deal with the problem.
"It makes me pretty angry because, quite frankly, we don't want gangs
involved in illegal and unlawful activities in our state," he said. "Going
around blowing up houses and hotels, even if it may be in reasonably remote
communities, is totally unacceptable."
The State Opposition said police had not done enough to protect law-abiding
citizens at Ora Banda.
Biggus
> PERTH
> Wednesday 8 November 2000
I think if you look back to the 70's you might find more.....
Theo
"John Olive" wrote
> Mr Hancock is believed to have been targeted by bikies seeking revenge
over
> the October 1 murder of Gypsy Joker gang member William Grierson, who was
> shot in the back by a sniper as he sat by a campfire at the Ora Banda
> racetrack.
> Mr Hancock confirmed that he had argued with the bikies but denied he had
> anything to do with the murder.
>
> "No way in the world did I do it," he said last month.
>
> "Because I had an altercation, a very minor altercation, and kicked them
> out, I guess I am the logical suspect with the bikies. But I didn't do
it."
Given a choice between believing Don Hancock or a GJ, I'd believe the GJ.
See my other post.
Cheers
Theo
Bugsy
history.
Very lucky for allot of police officers that Hancock never made it to the
coronial enquiry.
Bugsy
--
THATS ALL FOLKS!
"Biggus" <fu_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:a13d6g$4jr$1...@bugstomper.ihug.com.au...
corks
just how much have you dealt with them huh ????
theo
Theo wrote in message <3c361b99$1...@news.bekkers.com.au>...
David Brown
This article is only opinion. The copper denied committing the original
murder. Of course he did. There was no proof so why would he damn himself?
The only crime attributable to the gang in your article appears to be the
reprehensible one of having some marijuana and having an unlicensed rifle.
If everyone who was guilty of committing either or both of these crimes
admitted their criminality I suspect half the country would be locked up.
David
"John Olive" <jol...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:lqaZ7.59757$HW3....@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...