LET’S DO A DEAL
Bikie: I ran $1.5m car rebirth racket, now let the missus off
DRYSDALE bikie boss John Donnelly, pictured, has done a deal with prosecutors that will see him plead guilty to running a $1.5 million-dollar vehicle rebirthing racket, and the charges against his wife dropped.
The married couple appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday alongside John Donnelly’s former mistress, Laura Fenton, who pleaded guilty to 17 charges and also had a swag of charges against her withdrawn.
Police say John Donnelly was the mastermind of a scheme in which more than 40 stolen vehicles were rebadged and fraudulently registered, often at VicRoads.
DRYSDALE bikie boss John Donnelly has done a deal with prosecutors that will see him plead guilty to running a $1.5 million-dollar vehicle rebirthing racket, and the charges against his wife dropped.
The married couple appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday alongside John Donnelly’s former mistress, Laura Fenton, who pleaded guilty to 17 charges and also had a swag of charges against her withdrawn.
Police previously identified John Donnelly in court as a sergeant at arms of Geelong’s Rebels bikie gang, and say he was the mastermind of a scheme in which more than 40 stolen vehicles were rebadged and fraudulently registered, often at VicRoads.
The vehicles recovered — including cars, boats, trailers, motorised personal flying machines, farm equipment including a hay baler and caravans — had a combined value of more than $1.5 million.
A spa bath was also among the stolen property.
Many of the items detailed in court yesterday were stolen from homes on the Bellarine Peninsula.
While the court has previously heard the scheme was not connected to the Rebels, the investigation into John Donnelly’s activities last year — codenamed Operation Harrier — was conducted by Echo Taskforce, the Victoria Police unit pursuing outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Prosecutor Campbell Thomson told the court at a committal hearing yesterday he was prepared to withdraw all charges against his wife Megan Donnelly on the understanding her husband would plead guilty to his role in the vehicle rebirthing scam.
It’s understood the 200plus charges against the ringleader will subsequently fall to a figure closer to 30, including multiple counts of handling stolen goods rather than theft charges.
However John Donnelly, aged 33 when arrested earlier this year, is still contesting four charges that arose from a police pursuit on September 14 last year.
Detective Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall said the police air wing followed a stolen white Mercedes — allegedly driven by John Donnelly — from Werribee, over the West Gate Bridge.
The car was later found abandoned in South Yarra with drugs and a weapon inside, and John Donnelly was charged with trafficking methylamphetamine, reckless conduct endangering life, and stealing the car, after being arrested nearby.
Fenton, 25, yesterday entered pleas of guilty to 17 charges, including thefts and deceptions, arising from the rebirthing scheme.
She arrived at court yesterday with 105 charges, but 88 were withdrawn.
The Office of Public Prosecutions says the seriousness of the charges against her mean her plea should be heard in the County Court, but her lawyers are campaigning for a hearing in the Magistrates’ Court.
Another alleged accomplice, Steven Scott, 36, also appeared in court with the Donnellys and Fenton yesterday.
He faces about 50 charges, all of which are still in dispute, including counts of theft and making false document.
Sen-Constable Eppingstall said police did not allege Mr Scott physically stole vehicles, but say he fronted VicRoads multiple times to process false vehicle registrations.
Fenton’s application to have her matter heard in the Magistrates’ Court will be heard in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 18, with the committal hearing of John Donnelly and Mr Scott to resume in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on January 19.