Three of four Bandidos bikie gang members who were involved in brawls at a suicide prevention fundraiser at the Minmi Hotel have been jailed.
Blair John Kelly, 36, who police say is the sergeant-at-arms of the Newcastle chapter of the Bandidos, Harley Lamotte, 30, and Koda Warren Tredinnick, 26, and Dylan Alwyn Griffin, 30, were sentenced in Newcastle Local Court on Friday for their roles in the brawls on the afternoon of February 18 last year.
The two "gratuitously violent" incidents began when Kelly was asked to leave by a staff member at about 4.10pm after he refused to comply with directions and broke a sign.
He sculled a beer and smashed the glass, which triggered a 90 second melee during which a number of patrons were assaulted.
The men drove off but returned at about 6.45pm.
Kelly headbutted a security guard while other members of the group bashed a number of patrons, including knocking one 33-year-old man unconscious with a "coward punch".
Kelly, Lamotte and Tredinnick previously pleaded guilty to two counts of affray over the two brawls after prosecutors agreed to withdraw two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.
Lamotte, who was determined to have the highest level of moral culpability, has been in custody since March last year.
He received an aggregated sentence of 30 months and will be eligible for parole on October 13 this year.
He was also convicted and fined $1000 for 'knowingly displaying by public act a Nazi symbol without excuse'.
Kelly, who is also presently in custody, has prior convictions for affray and assault.
He received an aggregated jail term of 3 years with a 26 month non-parole period for the Minmi affray in addition to drugs and weapons charges.
Tredinnick, who had been on bail, also had prior matters of violence on his record.
He was sentenced to two years jail with a 14 month non-parole period.
Magistrate Lacy said Griffin, 30, who pleaded guilty to participating in the second affray, had the lowest level of culpability due to his limited involvement in the affray.
He was convicted and sentenced to a two year Community Corrections Order. He must also not attend the Minmi Hotel.
Magistrate Lacy said the brawls were particularly concerning because they occurred in front of members of the community, in particular children, who had gathered to raise awareness of suicide prevention.
"Members of the community are entitled to attend these types of events and not be exposed to acts of violence by young men," she said.
A police investigation was launched in the wake of the brawl which was referred to Strike Force Raptor North, who in March arrested six people and raided properties at Cardiff, Edgeworth, Gillieston Heights and Newcastle West.
Strike Force Raptor officers allege they seized five firearms - including a loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle with a silencer attached at Edgeworth and a semi-automatic firearm and two pistols at Cardiff - as well as cannabis and MDMA.
