4 Jul 2014

Red Devils members lose appeal bid

4:54 pm on 4 July 2014

Two men arrested during a police investigation of a Nelson motorcycle club have lost a legal bid to avoid going to trial.

Terry Jones and Mark Lee were among 21 people arrested after the Red Devils Motorcycle Club was raided.

A range of charges were laid against those arrested in the 2011 raid, relating to drugs, firearms and other offences.

The High Court threw out the charges after it was revealed an undercover office had been prosecuted on fake criminal charges to strengthen his credibility with the club before the raid.

But the Court of Appeal reinstated the charges last October, saying while the police misconduct was serious, there was only a weak link between it and the trial of those arrested.

Mr Jones and Mr Lee sought leave to take an appeal against that decision to the Supreme Court, which on Friday ruled it had no jurisdiction to hear the case.