7 days ago
Kidnapping charge: anti-bikie police squad swoops on man at airport
ANTI-BIKIE police have swooped on a man at Newcastle Airport as part of an eight-month investigation into an alleged kidnapping in the Hunter.
Officers from the specialist Raptor North squad arrested Troy Vanderlight, 34, at the Williamtown airport at 8.15am on Monday, August 12. It's alleged that Vanderlight has associations with the Hells Angels.
The Tenambit man spent the night in custody before fronting court via video link yesterday, where magistrate Elizabeth Bushby released him on bail, on a string of strict conditions.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Daniel Grace opposed Vanderlight's release. He said Vanderlight had previously been sentenced for offences related to outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) activity during an earlier "tit for tat".
Sergeant Grace said the fresh kidnapping charge was also an alleged OMCG matter.
Sergeant Grace told the court the prosecution case was strong, Vanderlight was a fail-to-appear risk, and he or his associates could interfere with witnesses in the case.
Vanderlight's record showed he had a "reluctance" to comply with court orders, Sergeant Grace said.
The court heard Vanderlight had twice breached serious crime prevention orders imposed by the NSW Supreme Court earlier - including once when he was caught eating beetroot toast with an alleged bikie - and had breached bail numerous times before.
He argued there was no bail condition that could mitigate the risks.
Legal Aid defence lawyer Courtney Young made the successful bid for bail, submitting that Vanderlight had never been in full-time custody, had a secure residence and had strong ties to the area.
Ms Young said there would be an identification issue and said there were likely to be delays in the case as it had already been under investigation for eight months. She said Vanderlight would have to wait for the police brief of evidence to be served.
Ms Bushby said she was satisfied that Vanderlight had "criminal associations" by way of OMCGs but that strict bail conditions could mitigate the risks.
Vanderlight was released on conditions including to abide by an overnight curfew, report to police three days per week, surrender his passport, and not contact a list of people or attend certain addresses, including in Maitland, Grafton and Gunnedah.
Police confirmed the 34-year-old man was arrested by Raptor North officers at Newcastle Airport on Monday morning as part of an investigation into an alleged kidnapping incident that occurred in December 2024.
He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with one count of taking or detaining a person in company, with the intent of obtaining an advantage.
The police case is that the alleged victim was detained in December last year, driven along the M1 to a dirt road and threatened before he jumped over a fence and escaped.
Vanderlight was not required to enter a plea in bail court on August 12 and the matter was adjourned to October 8.
ANTI-BIKIE police have swooped on a man at Newcastle Airport as part of an eight-month investigation into an alleged kidnapping in the Hunter.
Officers from the specialist Raptor North squad arrested Troy Vanderlight, 34, at the Williamtown airport at 8.15am on Monday, August 12. It's alleged that Vanderlight has associations with the Hells Angels.
The Tenambit man spent the night in custody before fronting court via video link yesterday, where magistrate Elizabeth Bushby released him on bail, on a string of strict conditions.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Daniel Grace opposed Vanderlight's release. He said Vanderlight had previously been sentenced for offences related to outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) activity during an earlier "tit for tat".
Sergeant Grace said the fresh kidnapping charge was also an alleged OMCG matter.
Sergeant Grace told the court the prosecution case was strong, Vanderlight was a fail-to-appear risk, and he or his associates could interfere with witnesses in the case.
Vanderlight's record showed he had a "reluctance" to comply with court orders, Sergeant Grace said.
The court heard Vanderlight had twice breached serious crime prevention orders imposed by the NSW Supreme Court earlier - including once when he was caught eating beetroot toast with an alleged bikie - and had breached bail numerous times before.
He argued there was no bail condition that could mitigate the risks.
Legal Aid defence lawyer Courtney Young made the successful bid for bail, submitting that Vanderlight had never been in full-time custody, had a secure residence and had strong ties to the area.
Ms Young said there would be an identification issue and said there were likely to be delays in the case as it had already been under investigation for eight months. She said Vanderlight would have to wait for the police brief of evidence to be served.
Ms Bushby said she was satisfied that Vanderlight had "criminal associations" by way of OMCGs but that strict bail conditions could mitigate the risks.
Vanderlight was released on conditions including to abide by an overnight curfew, report to police three days per week, surrender his passport, and not contact a list of people or attend certain addresses, including in Maitland, Grafton and Gunnedah.
Police confirmed the 34-year-old man was arrested by Raptor North officers at Newcastle Airport on Monday morning as part of an investigation into an alleged kidnapping incident that occurred in December 2024.
He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with one count of taking or detaining a person in company, with the intent of obtaining an advantage.
The police case is that the alleged victim was detained in December last year, driven along the M1 to a dirt road and threatened before he jumped over a fence and escaped.
Vanderlight was not required to enter a plea in bail court on August 12 and the matter was adjourned to October 8.
ANTI-BIKIE police have swooped on a man at Newcastle Airport as part of an eight-month investigation into an alleged kidnapping in the Hunter.
Officers from the specialist Raptor North squad arrested Troy Vanderlight, 34, at the Williamtown airport at 8.15am on Monday, August 12. It's alleged that Vanderlight has associations with the Hells Angels.
The Tenambit man spent the night in custody before fronting court via video link yesterday, where magistrate Elizabeth Bushby released him on bail, on a string of strict conditions.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Daniel Grace opposed Vanderlight's release. He said Vanderlight had previously been sentenced for offences related to outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) activity during an earlier "tit for tat".
Sergeant Grace said the fresh kidnapping charge was also an alleged OMCG matter.
Sergeant Grace told the court the prosecution case was strong, Vanderlight was a fail-to-appear risk, and he or his associates could interfere with witnesses in the case.
Vanderlight's record showed he had a "reluctance" to comply with court orders, Sergeant Grace said.
The court heard Vanderlight had twice breached serious crime prevention orders imposed by the NSW Supreme Court earlier - including once when he was caught eating beetroot toast with an alleged bikie - and had breached bail numerous times before.
He argued there was no bail condition that could mitigate the risks.
Legal Aid defence lawyer Courtney Young made the successful bid for bail, submitting that Vanderlight had never been in full-time custody, had a secure residence and had strong ties to the area.
Ms Young said there would be an identification issue and said there were likely to be delays in the case as it had already been under investigation for eight months. She said Vanderlight would have to wait for the police brief of evidence to be served.
Ms Bushby said she was satisfied that Vanderlight had "criminal associations" by way of OMCGs but that strict bail conditions could mitigate the risks.
Vanderlight was released on conditions including to abide by an overnight curfew, report to police three days per week, surrender his passport, and not contact a list of people or attend certain addresses, including in Maitland, Grafton and Gunnedah.
Police confirmed the 34-year-old man was arrested by Raptor North officers at Newcastle Airport on Monday morning as part of an investigation into an alleged kidnapping incident that occurred in December 2024.
He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with one count of taking or detaining a person in company, with the intent of obtaining an advantage.
The police case is that the alleged victim was detained in December last year, driven along the M1 to a dirt road and threatened before he jumped over a fence and escaped.
Vanderlight was not required to enter a plea in bail court on August 12 and the matter was adjourned to October 8.
ANTI-BIKIE police have swooped on a man at Newcastle Airport as part of an eight-month investigation into an alleged kidnapping in the Hunter.
Officers from the specialist Raptor North squad arrested Troy Vanderlight, 34, at the Williamtown airport at 8.15am on Monday, August 12. It's alleged that Vanderlight has associations with the Hells Angels.
The Tenambit man spent the night in custody before fronting court via video link yesterday, where magistrate Elizabeth Bushby released him on bail, on a string of strict conditions.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Daniel Grace opposed Vanderlight's release. He said Vanderlight had previously been sentenced for offences related to outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) activity during an earlier "tit for tat".
Sergeant Grace said the fresh kidnapping charge was also an alleged OMCG matter.
Sergeant Grace told the court the prosecution case was strong, Vanderlight was a fail-to-appear risk, and he or his associates could interfere with witnesses in the case.
Vanderlight's record showed he had a "reluctance" to comply with court orders, Sergeant Grace said.
The court heard Vanderlight had twice breached serious crime prevention orders imposed by the NSW Supreme Court earlier - including once when he was caught eating beetroot toast with an alleged bikie - and had breached bail numerous times before.
He argued there was no bail condition that could mitigate the risks.
Legal Aid defence lawyer Courtney Young made the successful bid for bail, submitting that Vanderlight had never been in full-time custody, had a secure residence and had strong ties to the area.
Ms Young said there would be an identification issue and said there were likely to be delays in the case as it had already been under investigation for eight months. She said Vanderlight would have to wait for the police brief of evidence to be served.
Ms Bushby said she was satisfied that Vanderlight had "criminal associations" by way of OMCGs but that strict bail conditions could mitigate the risks.
Vanderlight was released on conditions including to abide by an overnight curfew, report to police three days per week, surrender his passport, and not contact a list of people or attend certain addresses, including in Maitland, Grafton and Gunnedah.
Police confirmed the 34-year-old man was arrested by Raptor North officers at Newcastle Airport on Monday morning as part of an investigation into an alleged kidnapping incident that occurred in December 2024.
He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with one count of taking or detaining a person in company, with the intent of obtaining an advantage.
The police case is that the alleged victim was detained in December last year, driven along the M1 to a dirt road and threatened before he jumped over a fence and escaped.
Vanderlight was not required to enter a plea in bail court on August 12 and the matter was adjourned to October 8.
