Perth Bikies: Jesse Copeman, Jason Wayne Pettigrove, Jamie Frederick Ginn, Tyson Robinson face court

Four bikies accused of breaking the State’s tough anti-gang laws by flaunting their tattoos during a pool party at a Scarborough Hotel have gone on trial in the first case to test the new legislation. Rebels Jesse Copeman, Jason Wayne Pettigrove and Jamie Frederick Ginn, who arrived at court on Friday with some of their gang ink still showing, and Hells Angel Tyson Robinson were charged with displaying bikie insignia in public while attending birthday celebrations at the Rendezvous Hotel on January 8. They were among the first alleged outlaws charged with the offence after the laws were introduced on Christmas Eve. And their trial is the first time that legislation has been tested in a WA court. However, it could take at least another six months before they will find out just how strong the legislation is after a staff shortage and technical issues at Perth Magistrates Court led to a delay in the matter starting on Friday. Three of the accused — Mr Ginn, Mr Copeman and Mr Pettigrove — were also each slapped with another charge, which also delayed the start of the trial. The four men were at the Rendezvous Hotel on the summer’s day to celebrate Mr Copeman’s 35th birthday. Perth Magistrates Court was told two of the accused had booked rooms and commandeered a section of the hotel’s pool area where other members as well as their wives and girlfriends joined them. However, their celebrations were interrupted after a guest called police who gatecrashed the party. Prosecutor Nick John told the hearing the State’s case was “simple”, that on January 8 the accused each displayed insignia in public. That insignia, he said, included the “one percent” tattoo which under the legislation had been deemed to be a symbol of every “identifiable organisation” as well as tattoos with the word Rebels, which was the name of one of the outlaw motorcycle gangs. Mr Copeman is accused of displaying in public a “one percent” tattoo on the left side of his neck and a Rebels tattoo on his right forearm. Mr Ginn is accused of displaying in public a “one percent” tattoo on his left hand and a Rebels MC Australia tattoo on his left forearm. Mr Pettigrove is accused of displaying in public a “one percent” tattoo on his chest and a Rebels tattoo on his left forearm. Mr Robinson is accused of displaying in public a “one percent” tattoo on his left calf. The court was told when police arrived the bikies were drinking under a gazebo at the south-eastern side of the pool area. Sen. Const. Kurt Bryant from the gang crime squad told the hearing he told the group, which he estimated to be about 10 to 12 people, that under the new laws they could not associate in public and that they would be issued a dispersal notice. He said he also saw about 15 to 20 other members of the public in the pool area. Sen. Const. Bryant’s bodyworn camera footage was also played to the court in which officers can be seen and heard telling the group that they would be issued dispersal notices. A man said to be Mr Pettigrove can also be heard saying to the officer that he understood they were “guests in a private area in the hotel”. However, Sen. Const. Bryant replies that the pool was not a private area. He then suggests to the men that if they were to go back to one of their rooms then it would be private. Mr Pettigrove then says he had “no idea”. The court was told the accused were then issued dispersal notices. Jeremy Dyer, who was the duty manager at the hotel on the day, testified while the Rendezvous does have function areas you can book for private use, he said guests could not book out an area of the pool. The trial will resume in December.