High price for brawl trials

Bikies plan to recover costs – and taxpayers will foot bill

FAILED charges brought against Gold Coast bikies could end up costing the state’s taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Lawyers for some of the bikies charged in connection with the brawl at a Broadbeach restaurant in 2013 are now seeking costs to be awarded against police.

The applications follow the shock acquittal of Bandido Peter Mauric last week on a charge of rioting and the sub- sequent dropping of charges against eight of the men, while another 10 have pleaded guilty to downgraded charges.

At least seven of the bikies have indicated they will make an application to recover costs – including Bandido Peter Mauric and two other clients of Sydney lawyer, Zali Burrows. It’s understood the legal costs for Mauric and the other two, Stephen Cox and Mario Fortunato, could total an estimated $160,000.

In the Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday lawyers for George Bejat, Senad Catic, Zivko Stojakovic and Benjamin Thornton indicated they would apply for costs.

In another blow for the prosecution, at least three bikies who pleaded guilty to riot charges have indicated they may now attempt to withdraw their pleas.

Ricky Chapman’s new legal team yesterday indicated he would apply to withdraw his guilty plea. The Bandido, now living in Western Australia, was represented by Campbell MacCallum when he entered a guilty plea to rioting.

Now Chapman has jumped ship to Ms Burrows who was successful getting Mauric acquitted.

Barrister Sam Di Carlo also indicated his two clients, Adam White and Ahmed Kaddour, could also make a similar application.

Magistrate Michael Quinn will receive written submissions on the three applications to withdraw the guilty pleas and will make his decision on June 19.

On the same day he will also hand down his decision on legal costs.

A third Broadbeach brawl trial looks unlikely to go ahead after defence lawyer Saul Holt QC said his clients, Bejat, Catic and Thornton, were all expected to plead guilty to downgraded charges.

The court was told the prosecution would offer no evidence against Stojakovic and Grigori Kossian.

Tevita Bula, the only man to appear in court in person, pleaded guilty to the downgraded charge of causing a public nuisance.

Jonathan Cassiotis, who is scheduled for a fourth trial on July 22, is now the only man still listed to contest the rioting charge.

The 18 men who pleaded guilty in relation to the Broadbeach brawl will be sentenced between July 22 and 24 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.