Child caught up in gang violence



POLICE fear the shooting of the 11-year-old son of a member of the Finks motorcycle club in an Adelaide home invasion could spur violence between warring bikie gangs.


On Friday night, the young son of the Finks bikie was shot twice in the leg by an intruder while asleep in his bed in the front bedroom of the family house.

Western Adelaide Police superintendent Howard Davies said he was concerned the incident could lead to further violence and reprisals by the Finks, designated an outlaw motorcycle club in South Australia.

“Police are obviously concerned about on-going violence between members of outlaw motorcycle gangs and the possible threat of retaliation,” Superintendent Davies said.

SA shadow attorney-general Stephen Wade said the latest incident showed the government urgently needed to push forward with reforms to the bikie anti-association legislation after a section of the law was struck down by the High Court last November.

He said the shooting was further evidence of the Rann government’s inability to deal with bikies.

“Friday night’s shooting highlights the urgency for the government to get the bikies legislation back into the parliament,” Mr Wade said.

“Only last week we celebrated two years since the Supreme Court struck down the key sections of the legislation, two years later we’re still waiting for the government to act.

“This shows the lack of leadership of the Labor party — there’s a vacuum and they seem to be unable to make the hard decisions.”

He said letters and speeches by the Attorney-General, John Rau, showed the government was pushing back the deadline to deal with the necessary changes to the law.

“It’s not good enough,” Mr Wade said.

Mr Rau declined to comment on the legislation yesterday, however, a spokesman confirmed that the introduction of new legislation could come as late as next year.

“The bills are being finalised now and will be introduced to parliament either this year or early next year,” he said.

“It’s important to get these things right.”

While police said they feared an escalation in bikie violence, investigators had not yet determined who was responsible for the attack because members of the household would not co-operate with police.

“We have an innocent child caught up in what is clearly bikie-related violence and witnesses no doubt have valuable information that can assist police,” Superintendent Davies said.

“If we had full co-operation, there is no doubt police would be able to progress their investigation faster.”

The boy was in a stable condition last night at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

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