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A Comanchero bikie who shot up the home of a former chapter leader could be released from jail in three years. Axel Sidaros was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday to nine years and nine months behind bars for his part in a fiery attack on former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic, who lost part of a finger in the dramatic incident. He was ordered to serve a non-parole period of five years and six months, but with time already served he could be freed from custody as soon as February 2024. Delivering the sentence on Tuesday, Justice David Mossop said the offender was a young man who had struggled to fit in socially and “craved acceptance”. The judge said Sidaros seemed to think he had finally found this in the form of outlaw motorcycle gang members, having become affiliated with the Canberra Comancheros around March 2018. The gang was fractured around that time, as rival factions aligned with either Zdravkovic or another senior figure, Pitasoni Ulavalu, went toe-to-toe. Sidaros aligned himself with Ulavalu, who ultimately seized control of the local chapter, as Zdravkovic was “effectively booted out”. Zdravkovic went on to engage in what Justice Mossop labelled “highly provocative” acts, including the burning of gang “colours”. The judge said the Comancheros therefore wanted to mete out “punishment and retribution” on Zdravkovic, and “significant planning” went into the ultimate attack. Sidaros was “a follower, not a leader” in this endeavour, Justice Mossop said, having been merely a nominee for full membership at that point. He said Sidaros’ underlying motivation to participate in the assault was “to do what was necessary in service of the gang to become a patched member”. Home CCTV shows that on the night in question, in June 2018, four hooded offenders invaded Zdravkovic’s property in Calwell. Sidaros and another man were armed with guns, while the other two had jerry cans of petrol they poured around the place. Zdravkovic had just hopped out of the shower when he heard “a loud bang”, prompting him to grab a rifle and run, naked, to confront the intruders. Sidaros and one of his co-offenders fired a number of rounds into the house as a firefight broke out, with one bullet hitting Zdravkovic’s left hand and partially amputating a finger. One of the men who had tipped out the accelerant then lit it as the group fled, igniting three of Zdravkovic’s cars. Sidaros was arrested about two months later, and he remains the only person to have ever been charged with carrying out the attack. He was originally found guilty of seven charges connected to the incident, and jailed for 14 years with a minimum of eight years to serve. That sentence was later quashed and a retrial ordered, with Sidaros ultimately acquitted of attempted murder but found guilty again of the other six offences. Justice Mossop therefore had to sentence the offender on Tuesday in respect of the remaining offences, which included arson and intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm. The judge said in doing so that Sidaros had continued to deny any involvement in the incident, meaning he had not accepted any responsibility or demonstrated remorse for his crimes. He also described Sidaros’ continued membership of the outlaw motorcycle gang as a cause for concern. But he said there were some things in the offender’s favour when it came to potential for rehabilitation. These included the 26-year-old’s youth and his successful, law-abiding family, who remained supportive despite the fact they “must be despairing at the conduct of their son”. Justice Mossop ultimately imposed the new jail terms, while also ordering Sidaros to pay Zdravkovic $20,000 in reparations. Sidaros showed no emotion until he was being led out of the courtroom, at which time he made an obscene gesture towards this reporter and a group of police officers in the public gallery. He has already filed an appeal against the six guilty verdicts. For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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Bikie who shot up former boss’ home could be freed in three years
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Axel Sidaros has already served nearly two-and-a-half years behind bars.
news, crime,
2021-02-16T16:00:00+11:00
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CCTV of the June 2018 incident at the Calwell home of Peter Zdravkovic.
A Comanchero bikie who shot up the home of a former chapter leader could be released from jail in three years.
Axel Sidaros was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday to nine years and nine months behind bars for his part in a fiery attack on former Canberra Comanchero commander Peter Zdravkovic, who lost part of a finger in the dramatic incident.
He was ordered to serve a non-parole period of five years and six months, but with time already served he could be freed from custody as soon as February 2024.
Delivering the sentence on Tuesday, Justice David Mossop said the offender was a young man who had struggled to fit in socially and “craved acceptance”.
The judge said Sidaros seemed to think he had finally found this in the form of outlaw motorcycle gang members, having become affiliated with the Canberra Comancheros around March 2018.
Comanchero Axel Sidaros, who has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in jail.
The gang was fractured around that time, as rival factions aligned with either Zdravkovic or another senior figure, Pitasoni Ulavalu, went toe-to-toe.
Sidaros aligned himself with Ulavalu, who ultimately seized control of the local chapter, as Zdravkovic was “effectively booted out”.
Zdravkovic went on to engage in what Justice Mossop labelled “highly provocative” acts, including the burning of gang “colours”.
The judge said the Comancheros therefore wanted to mete out “punishment and retribution” on Zdravkovic, and “significant planning” went into the ultimate attack.
Sidaros was “a follower, not a leader” in this endeavour, Justice Mossop said, having been merely a nominee for full membership at that point.
Shooting victim Peter Zdravkovic.
He said Sidaros’ underlying motivation to participate in the assault was “to do what was necessary in service of the gang to become a patched member”.
Home CCTV shows that on the night in question, in June 2018, four hooded offenders invaded Zdravkovic’s property in Calwell.
Sidaros and another man were armed with guns, while the other two had jerry cans of petrol they poured around the place.
Zdravkovic had just hopped out of the shower when he heard “a loud bang”, prompting him to grab a rifle and run, naked, to confront the intruders.
Sidaros and one of his co-offenders fired a number of rounds into the house as a firefight broke out, with one bullet hitting Zdravkovic’s left hand and partially amputating a finger.
Axel Sidaros outside court on a previous occasion.
One of the men who had tipped out the accelerant then lit it as the group fled, igniting three of Zdravkovic’s cars.
Sidaros was arrested about two months later, and he remains the only person to have ever been charged with carrying out the attack.
Justice Mossop therefore had to sentence the offender on Tuesday in respect of the remaining offences, which included arson and intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Axel Sidaros at a shooting range before the attack on Peter Zdravkovic. Picture: Supplied
The judge said in doing so that Sidaros had continued to deny any involvement in the incident, meaning he had not accepted any responsibility or demonstrated remorse for his crimes.
But he said there were some things in the offender’s favour when it came to potential for rehabilitation.
These included the 26-year-old’s youth and his successful, law-abiding family, who remained supportive despite the fact they “must be despairing at the conduct of their son”.
Justice Mossop ultimately imposed the new jail terms, while also ordering Sidaros to pay Zdravkovic $20,000 in reparations.
Sidaros showed no emotion until he was being led out of the courtroom, at which time he made an obscene gesture towards this reporter and a group of police officers in the public gallery.
