BIKER NEWS: Former Rebels bikie Lupe Ngata sentenced over Belconnen brawl with rivals

BIKER NEWS -- A former member of the Rebels bikie club has been sentenced to three years in jail for his part in the bashing and robbery of members of a rival gang outside a Canberra mall.

The incident happened at the Belconnen Mall when Lupe Ngata, 37, and two other Rebels attacked two members of the Finks bikie club, and took their shirts.

Ngata punched one of the members in the face, and stole his shirt.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery charges last week, and vowed in court to live a "straighty-one-eighty" life.

He told the court he had retired from the Rebels, where he was sergeant-at-arms, and hoped to leave his life of crime in the past.

Justice Richard Refshauge described it as an unprovoked bashing over a perceived impropriety by the Finks who were in "Rebel territory".

"There was no particular planning involved, indeed the whole event was caught on CCTV," he said.

"Nevertheless the offence was a serious offence amounting as it did to an unprovoked bashing because of a perceived impropriety of the entry of the victims into so-called Rebels territory.

"Notwithstanding the victims were perfectly entitled to be in Canberra at the Belconnen Mall."

He imposed a three-year sentence on Ngata, with a non-parole period of 18 months.

Taking into account time already served, Ngata will be eligible for parole in May 2016.

This article was first published on 3 Nov 2015

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