Bikie revenge plot against P-plater accused of ploughing into Knights fans: The disturbing jail ‘hit’ that saw police rush Indika Samarasinghe, 18, out of Newcastle
An 18-year-old driver has been granted bail after allegedly ploughing into a crowd of Newcastle Knights fans, injuring 10 people including children. The incident has taken a disturbing turn as authorities claim a family member of one of the injured victims, allegedly with links to the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, arranged a "hit" on the teenager, prompting police to transfer him from Newcastle to Sydney for his safety.
Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe was arrested at the scene of the October 3 crash and charged with nine offences including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. He was released on strict bail conditions including a night curfew between 8pm and 7am, daily police reporting, a complete driving ban, and the requirement to be accompanied by a parent during the day. A five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man were critically injured but their conditions improved to serious but stable. Judge Trevor Khan described the incident as "extraordinary" given the massive public gathering of thousands of Knights supporters lining Newcastle's roads.
- Teenager granted bail after crash into Knights fans crowd injured 10 people.
- Police protecting him from alleged bikie revenge plot arranged by victim's family member.
- Released with strict conditions including curfew, reporting, and driving ban.
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On 3 October, an 18-year-old driver's car struck a crowd of supporters gathered for a Newcastle Knights rugby league match in Newcastle, Australia, injuring ten people including children. The incident occurred during a large public gathering of thousands of fans lining the city's streets. A five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man were among those left in critical condition, though both later improved to serious but stable.
The teenager was arrested at the scene and charged with multiple offences including dangerous driving. He was released on bail with strict conditions including a night curfew, a complete driving ban, daily police reporting, and a requirement to be accompanied by an adult during the day. A judge described the incident as extraordinary given the massive scale of the crowd that had gathered.
The situation became more complex when authorities learned that a family member of one of the injured victims had alleged connections to an outlaw motorcycle gang. These connections prompted law enforcement to take additional protective measures for the teenager's safety as authorities assessed potential risks.