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Qld Premier Campbell Newman, Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie raise concerns about bail decisions for alleged bikies

Premier Campbell Newman says he is concerned by recent court decisions granting bail to alleged bikie members, despite new laws giving court officials the power to keep them locked up.

Queensland police said last night they would challenge two court decisions that allowed alleged bikie gang members to be granted bail.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says he “respectfully” disagrees with the court decisions.

Lorne Campbell, 33, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with breaching strict conditions relating to his place of address.

He had been on bail for extortion and firearm offences relating to a shotgun attack on a Sunshine Coast tattoo parlour in April.

Campbell appeared in court on Tuesday and police argued he was a member of the Rebels bikie gang to keep him in locked up.

But Magistrate Bernadette Callaghan was not satisfied that he was and granted Campbell bail.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) says it will apply to the Supreme Court to review that decision.

The DPP says it will also appeal another relating to bail granted to a 25-year alleged bikie member who appeared in the Holland Magistrates Court in Brisbane last week.

Mr Newman says he wants the Queensland judiciary to start realising what the community wants and act accordingly.

“To protect the community – that’s all the Government is after [and] that is all the Queensland community is after,” he said.

Mr Bleijie says the Government’s new anti-bikie laws include a presumption against bail for alleged gang members.

“I really can’t talk about that matter because we’ve now announced that we will be asking for a review of that [court] decision,” he said.

“Police and the Office of DPP before the Supreme Court judge, so we respectfully disagree with that position.

“That’s why we’re going to be asking for a review to ensure that the laws are being interpreted as they were designed by the Parliament.”

Topics: Bikies
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