FOUR men swept up in a major bikies raid in Wagga by the State Crime Command’s gangs squad have pleaded not guilty to a raft of serious charges.
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The cases of Brock Altmann, Cameron Elphick, Robert Geppert and Connor Whitnall were mentioned by their solicitor, David Barron, in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday.
Mr Barron entered pleas on behalf of the men and also asked for minor time variations in curfews for some of them for work reasons.
The accused men are among about a dozen people arrested in March and now before the court.
Geppert, 23, faces 11 violence, firearm and theft charges.
Among them is an allegation he illegally possessed three ammunition magazines each capable of holding 30 rounds.
He is also accused of possessing 273 rounds of 7.62 millimetre bullets, six 12-gauge shotgun cartridges and two bullet-proof vest.
Together with Altmann, 27, and Whitnall, 24, Geppert is accused of “demanding with menaces” $15,000 from a man.
Each is also accused of assaulting the man, causing him actual bodily harm, and stealing a black male English Staffordshire dog.
Geppert, Whitnall and Altmann are also charged with participating in a criminal group.
Elphick faces four counts of possessing a prohibited weapon without a permit (three ammunition magazines and a pair of knuckle dusters) and one count of possessing ammunition without a licence.
Magistrate Michael Crompton agreed to vary bail for the accused.
The cases were adjourned to June 21 for Mr Barron to reply to the prosecution's brief of evidence.
The matters will also marry up with cases of several other co-accused.
In other court news, a man listed for sentence in Wagga Local Court after pleading guilty to committing an act of animal cruelty by swinging a puppy about a pub bar by a front leg has had to wait another day to learn is fate.
Darrin Michael Stephens, also known as Jack Stephens, was before Mr Crompton for sentence on Wednesday when it was discovered that at the time of his offending he was on a good behaviour bond for contravening an apprehended violence order.
Mr Crompton stood over sentencing until Thursday for the bond to be “called up”.
Mr Crompton has the option of taking no action on the breach or re-sentencing Stephens.
Stephens, 48, will also be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault and failing to leave licensed premises.
Stephens admitted to splitting the lip and bruised the eye of one man and punching another in the stomach at the Ashmont Inn.