A "motley crew" of men who murdered the president of a bikie gang in the New South Wales Central West four years ago wanted to end his violence and intimidation toward them, a court has heard.
Phillip Brian Woods, Brenton Hayes, Jace Harding, Brendan McLachlan and Brian Farnsworth were sentenced on Friday for the execution-style murder of bikie president Shane De Britt in 2020.
In December a NSW Supreme Court jury found the men guilty of murder after a three-month trial.
During sentencing in the Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Dina Yehia said the men carried out the killing in a calculated manner.
"Events on the evening and early hours 14 January 2020 provide compelling evidence of a joint criminal enterprise who planned to shoot the deceased with at least an intention to cause grievous bodily harm," she said.
Beaten and stripped
Mr De Britt was fatally shot in his bed as he watched television at his home in Eurimbla, near Wellington, in the early hours of January 14, 2020.
The court heard on Friday that a revenge plot to scare Mr De Britt was crafted after members from the Grudge Bringers were beaten and stripped of their gang colours during a stoush with the Bandidos.
Justice Yehia said the Grudge Bringers was a social club made up of a "motley crew" that at times undertook "charitable work" in the community.
She said the attacks against the club were "all one way".
"It's clear from the evidence the deceased wanted to shut down the Grudge Bringers and strip them of their colours," Justice Yehia said.
"The Grudge Bringers were not an outlaw motorcycle club — they were not engaged in profiteering from illegal activity.
"The club was made up of a small number of what I refer to as misfits, who were brought together for a variety of reasons, primary amongst them seeking a sense of identity and belonging."
Tattoo parlour plot
Grudge Bringers founder Woods planned the shooting with Hayes, who owned the Menace Ink tattoo parlour in Wellington, where the group would meet.
The pair did not attend Mr De Britt's isolated rural property — Harding, McLachlan, Farnsworth and two other men were sent to the farmhouse.
They were armed, dressed in black and wearing masks.
McLachlan was accused during the trial of carrying the 12-gauge Franchi self-loading shotgun and firing the fatal shot.
But today that accusation was rejected by Justice Yehia, who found that the evidence suggested another man – who cannot be named and was tried separately – "led the charge at the scene of the crime" and fired the fatal shot.
After the murder the group took an angle grinder to the shotgun, buried the remains and burned the Toyota Yaris that was driven to Mr De Britt's home.
The five men pleaded not guilty to murder and claimed they visited Mr De Britt to frighten him and to end the threats and attacks on the Grudge Bringers.
'Not sophisticated'
During sentencing Justice Yehia said execution of the plan was "not sophisticated" because Harding accidentally fired the shotgun he was carrying twice while sneaking up to the farm house.
She found the men were motivated by a desire to end the intimidation and violence against the club perpetrated by the Bandidos at the instruction of Mr De Britt.
The court heard the offenders were "genuinely scared and feared for their safety".
"This does not mean that the use of violence by the offenders can be excused or condoned," Justice Yehia said.
"The fact they took matters into their own hands and perpetrated significant violence must be denounced."
Justice Yehia found Woods and Hayes were the "architects and organisers" of the plot against Mr De Britt, and that Harding, McLachlan and Farnsworth were "swept up" in the plot and followed instructions.
Woods was sentenced to 28 years' jail with a non-parole period of 17 years and six months.
He will be eligible for release in 2038.
Hayes was sentenced to 20 years' jail with a non-parole period of 13 years and two months.
He will be eligible for release in 2033.
McLaughlin, Harding and Farnsworth were each sentenced to 23 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of 14 years and 11 months.
They will be eligible for release in 2035.