Ron Stephenson who led the police investigation into the shoot-out stated in 1994: "In the middle of it all, the pub staff were still selling beer. This browser does not support getting your location. More than two years later, on 12 June 1987, the jury delivered 63 murder convictions, 147 manslaughter convictions and 31 of affray. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Only one man, Phillip Bruce 'Knuckles' McElwaine, a Bandido and Commonwealth Games boxing gold medalist, walked free from the court. The car park was packed with leather-clad bikies, police and ambulance officers treating the injured. He worked as an insurance and investment agent for a few years before setting out to become a filmmaker. All were reduced to manslaughter on appeal. Geoff "Snake" Campbell, a former member of the Bandidos bikie gang, sits on the grave stone of one of his brothers - two of which died at Milperra in the Father's Day massacre. But it was so confusing to me I couldn't tell who was who in this brawl that was going on. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong day. 'Not only that, they'd sent scouts down to identify that we were there. The documentary, first aired on 2 February 2003, follows Brown as he looks for screenwriters, funds and a director for his movie. Although never mentioned by the media or charged, several wives and girlfriends of the club members took part. 'From the start, I've been hammered by this, that I'm a crazed bikie killer from 40 years ago who's on the rampage again,' he said. 'We went down to the back of the car park where there was a six foot fence and they weren't there,' he said. 7. It is directed by Peter Andrikidis. [2] The gunfight had its roots in the rivalry that developed after a group of Comancheros broke away and formed the first Bandidos Motorcycle Club chapter in Australia. Comancheros Gary George 'Peewee' got 20 years, Terrence William Parker 18 years John Francis 'Little John' Hennessey 20 years. For more than three decades Eaves tried to keep his past secret from prospective employers, friends - even his own son - but is now prepared to tell his story. Bandidos, Comancheros and bystanders were struck, limbs were broken, people were stabbed, people were shot. "I saw another guy shoot someone in the guts, and he just keeled over and then the girl was shot. The Comanchero were already at the Viking Tavern when the Bandidos arrived. A man grieves over his brother, one of the dead.Credit:Bruce Miller. 'We didn't do it not just because we were tight but because we didn't have anything to give up, we didn't have anything to admit that we were guilty of,' he said. 'When the Bandidos arrived at the Viking Tavern car park, the Comancheros were waiting for them,' he said. Drag images here or select from your computer for Leanne Walters memorial. Six bikies and a 15-year-old girl were killed in the Milperra massacre on Father's Day, 1984 (pictured). 9. The milperra massacre, Milperra bikie shoot-out or Father's Day Massacre was a firearm battle between rival motorcycle gang members on 2 September (Father's Day in Australia) 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. "Suddenly a man I didn't even know grabbed hold of me and pulled me to the ground. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. September 12, 1984. Select from premium Milperra Massacre of the highest quality. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was one of only two bikies arrested at the Viking Tavern, one of 30 convicted of murder or manslaughter, and one of the last to be released from prison. After realising he'd been caught off guard and not having had the chance to set up a formal battle plan, Jock Ross ran from the back of the tavern holding a machete in one hand and a pick handle in the other. 'Now I know what Lindy Chamberlain felt like,' he said from the dock. 'As patriotism can lead to jingoism and mateship can lead to cronyism, so bikie club loyalty, it seems, can lead to bikie club war. Absolutely crazy.'. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. September 21, 1984. . When do the clocks change in 2023? [8] Gavery recalled: "Kucler was covered in blood and appeared to have a wound below one eye. ). They had declared war on each other, and once that happens you can be assured a full-scale battle will take place if they meet in public". 9. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong day'. 8. Try again later. Kucler got out in September and Ross in January 1990, having served little more than five years. Snoddy's betrayal sparked a feud which culminated in the Milperra massacre. The judge in the case named the instigator of the violence as William "Jock" Ross, the "supreme commander" of the Comancheros, saying "Ross was primarily responsible for the decision that members of his club go to Milperra in force and armed". Next, he received a First Class Honours degree at Murdoch University. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Justice Roden found Jock Ross, as Comanchero president, bore 'prime responsibility' for his club's decision to take part in the war. For the past few years Eaves has volunteered with an organisation of ex-military personnel called Team Rubicon which operates an emergency response team for events such as bushfires. September 01, 2019 - 8:05AM. On Father's Day, 1984, members of rival gangs the Commanchero and Bandidos met in the car park of the Viking Tavern at Milperra, in Sydney's south west, and went to war. The army stuck with Eaves while he was in prison, re-signing him to three more years service while he was at Long Bay on remand. I've got to remind myself of that sometimes too when I'm feeling down.'. Mr. Campbell was represented by Mr Greg Woods QC. [2] 'I've been trying to outrun this business for 36 years and it just never lets me go,' the father-of-two told Daily Mail Australia. 'In assessing sentence, it is appropriate to treat all the offences of which any accused was convicted of as part of the one transaction. I felt that there had to be some explanation for the marked and perplexing difference between their behaviour in other contexts. The screenplay was written by Greg Haddrick, Roger Simpson and Jo Martino. They hid under tables as the shots rang out. Hewas still just 24 when sentenced to life in jail in June 1987 after being convicted along with eight others of seven murder charges. No arrests had been made last night. He would be one of 31 bikies to spend 14 months in front of a Supreme Court jury sitting at Penrith in what was then Australia's longest-running criminal trial. The onetime soldier was also the youngest bikie at the Milperra massacre in 1984 and has seven counts of manslaughter recorded against his name, Eaves is constantly dragged back to September 1984 and the car park of the Viking Tavern where six bikies and a teenage girl were shot dead. During his trial Eaves had been unimpressed with some of the defence lawyers and realised university could not be that hard. The gunmen lowered rifles to allow the ambulancemen to take away the wounded. Source: Justice Adrian Roden on sentencing the Milperra bikies, The comments below have not been moderated, By It was the first shot of the Milperra Massacre, on Father's Day 1984, outside the Viking Tavern, and within minutes two more of Snake's five brothers, John "Whack" Campbell and Colin "Caesar" Campbell, would be gunned down. You're destroying someone's life completely.'. Two more bikies and a police officer were injured in what ambulancemen said were "little melees" afterwards as police tried to interview witnesses. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. He took a gunshot to the. Another motorcyclist said: "People hid wherever they could. 'He gave me the sort of attention that a father never gave me.'. He lost much of his vision as well as the ability to read and write. When you have two groups like these in conflict with one another, a 'Viking' is always likely. Two days later they arrested Eaves and charged him at Burwood police station. Eventually some 1,000 jurors were presented before 12 were found acceptable to sit on the case. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. To me they were just a bunch of blokes and Jock was a big brother figure to me. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. One witness said the girl was standing beside him. A further 28 people were wounded with 20 requiring hospitalisation. I think everyone involved has been scarred by it and continues to be scarred by it. It is not possible to sit looking at these men for more than one year, as I have a done, without feeling that there is more to them than the popular image of bikie gang members. [12] Solicitor Christopher Murphy acted for the Bandidos' members charged over the incident. Where are the survivors of the Milperra massacre now? This account has been disabled. Commonwealth Games gold medallist boxer Philip "Knuckles" McElwaine was found guilty only of affray; he was the only motorcycle club member to be acquitted of the manslaughter and murder charges that were brought against him. "[8] Garvey was confronted by Raymond Sunshine Kucler of the Comancheros who was armed with a shotgun. Four other members of the Comancheros gang received life sentences for murder and 16 Bandidos received sentences of seven years for manslaughter. Now Playing. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Synopsis The six-episode series dramatises the story of the Milperra massacre, when the Bandidos and the Comanchero motorcycle clubs went to war on Father's Day, Sunday 2 September 1984. Some of the bikes had shotguns and rifles clipped to them. "I said, 'Do it, mate.' The shootout had its roots in an intense rivalry that developed after a group . Milperra Massacre file.Detectoves lead bikie gang member into campsie police station early today. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson is axed as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 4. It is proper to have regard to the totality of the criminal conduct of which each had been convicted and then sentence accordingly. 'How's someone not going to go back to crime if they can't get a job and they've got no money? From the Archives, 1984: The Milperra bikie massacre. Those who supported bringing charges against Ross, the six Campbell brothers, the three McElwaine brothers, Anthony "Snodgrass" Spencer (Snoddy) and Charles "Charlie" Sciberras remained at the Birchgrove clubhouse that overlooked Yurulbin Park[4] while Ross and the remaining Comancheros set up a new clubhouse in Harris Park. Milperra Massacre file.Detectoves lead bikie gang member into campsie police station early today. Any member found guilty of not helping another member who is in genuine trouble, not bulls*** trouble, will be severely dealt with. "[8] Stephenson dismissed the later claims made by both the Comancheros and Bandidos that no violence was planned for the swap meet as he stated: "I simply cant accept that. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Police say the onetime Comanchero outlaw was involved in an altercation with a 23-year-old motorcyclist about 10.50pm on March 20. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. The New South Wales Firearms and Dangerous Weapons Act . 10. 'They've pulled up, got out of their cars, off their bikes, charged straight at us and then I just heard gunshots.'. There . Then came the motorbikes. [a] If found guilty, Ross would have been expelled from the club. Six of the Milperra massacre bikies convicted of seven murders were sentenced to life in prison while three others received terms of 18 or 20 years. Between the second and third shots - a shotgun followed . The Bandidos were late and, thinking that the opposing gang was not coming, some Comancheros went into the Viking Tavern bar. Australia News. Glen Eaves did not hurt anybody that day but was convicted of seven manslaughters. Bandido Tony Allan 'Lard' Melville got life, as did Comancheros Eaves, Ian Keith 'Snow' White, Robert John Allen 'Jay Jay' Heeney, Raymond 'Sunshine' Kucler and Ross. Clubhouse attacks and other violence continued until August when Campbell alleged that Spencer and Ross "declared war" in a phone call.[3]. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. 'Sometimes I've known people for may many years and never told them. 'I never hurt anybody, was never accused of hurting anybody, killing anybody, shooting anybody, doing anything like that.'. [20], A television mini-series Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, based on the book Brothers in Arms by Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey, screened on Australias Network Ten in May 2012. Please try again later. On that day at around 1pm, 19 armed Comancheros entered the car park of the Viking Tavern during the swap meet and took up positions in hiding. Find Milperra Massacre stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. That matter is still before the courts and Eaves is vigorously defending charges including predatory driving and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. So, if they were infants then they are now in their 60s ot 70s or so. There was a problem getting your location. "We are running out of cars to take the weapons away," said one ballistics officer who had just loaded a dozen rifles plus baseball bats and machetes into the boot of his car. He was one of six bikies originally sentenced to life for taking part in the Milperra massacre but served only a little more than five years. The comments below have been moderated in advance. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. 'I've read books on what happens to soldiers in battle and what they say is that it's so overwhelming for your brain that you actually go dumb,' Eaves said. 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