BIKER NEWS: Bikie Ricky Chapman pleads ignorance in bid to overturn his guilty plea over Broadbeach brawl

BN- A BIKIE who pleaded guilty to rioting in the Broadbeach brawl has claimed ignorance in a bid to change his plea, saying he didn’t read the document his lawyer asked him to sign.

Ricky Chapman, 25, was one of more than 35 people charged in relation to the melee and tense standoff outside the Aura restaurant in Broadbeach in 2013.

The Bandidos member pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to the charge of riot in relation to the brawl before fellow Bandido Peter Mauric became the only person to be acquitted his riot charge at trial.

Chapman changed his lawyer to Mauric’s solicitor Zali Burrows then revealed he would attempt to overturn his plea.

In the Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday Chapman’s new legal team argued his plea should be changed as he didn’t realise what he’d signed.

He claimed he only realised he’d signed the document admitting his guilt moments before he entered a plea in May this year.

“I didn’t look at it, I just signed the bit of paper like he said to do,” Chapman told the court.

During a bail application this year, Chapman’s former solicitor Campbell MacCallum argued his client was on remand for so long because he had “difficulties with literacy” and hadn’t understood letters from his lawyer.

The Perth-based Bandido is now the last man standing in relation to the Broadbeach brawl following the sentence of Jonathan Casiotis yesterday.

The 28-year-old was convicted of public nuisance and fined $1200 for playing a minor role in the brawl in September 2013.

The court was told Casiotis yelled at police to let an associate up and was involved in the menacing of a bystander who had been filming the melee.

The brawl sparked the introduction of Queensland’s tough bikie laws, but the sentences handed out to those involved were criticised for being too soft.

Major players, including former Bandido Jacques Teamo and former Gold Coast chapter president Adam White, were handed suspended sentences while others were fined up to $2500 for offences of public nuisance or affray.

A decision will be handed down on Chapman’s application in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

More: http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/crime-court/bikie-ricky-chapman-pleads-ignorance-in-bid-to-overturn-his-guilty-plea-over-broadbeach-brawl/story-fnje8bkv-1227517447530