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Hayden James Bubner: Alleged Comanchero treasurer accused of involvement in murder plot

Details of the alleged involvement of a man accused of plotting to shoot dead a bikie associate have been revealed in court.

A South Australian man’s alleged involvement in a plan to assassinate a bikie associate in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs has been detailed in court.

As part of Operation Ironside, Hayden James Bubner, 33, was one of a group of five men charged with conspiring to murder and participating in a criminal organisation over an alleged plot to shoot a fellow gang member with a machine gun on The Parade at Norwood last November.

According to SA Police, the alleged planned attack was to take place the day after Melbourne Cup day in 2020 once the gang’s associate left a cafe that he was to be lured to.

The Magill resident appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link on Wednesday. It was alleged he was a senior member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, namely the treasurer.

The court was also told he allegedly played a “significant role” in running the gang’s operations and directed its “high level”, “wholesale” drug trafficking activities.

The alleged murder plot involved the Adelaide suburb of Norwood. Picture: Supplied
The alleged murder plot involved the Adelaide suburb of Norwood. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

According to the prosecutor, the alleged murder victim was also a Comanchero member that was a “rival” to Mr Bubner and his four co-accused — whose identities are suppressed — and the charges against the group related to “a power struggle” between the two groups within the organisation.

The court was told Mr Bubner’s alleged role in that murder plot was to source the submachine gun that was to be used to kill the victim in a drive-by shooting involving a motorcycle.

The prosecutor said the weapon was hidden at a Morialta reserve near Rostrevor on November 4, 2020. He said undercover police located it there as well as a backpack that contained ammunition and a jerry can of petrol.

The court was told that once it was examined by officers and placed back, police saw a person suspected to be one of the defendant’s co-accused collect the firearm on November 7.

Following Mr Bubner’s arrest in June, two of his mobile phones that had the AN0M application installed were seized from his home.

“The evidence will reveal that the planning went beyond mere discussion and planning,” the prosecutor said.

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“On the prosecution case, (evidence) on him having those mobile phones and accessing and using the AN0M platform is very compelling.”

Mr Bubner was charged with conspire to murder as part of Operation Ironside. Picture: Olivier Morin / AFP
Mr Bubner was charged with conspire to murder as part of Operation Ironside. Picture: Olivier Morin / AFPSource:AFP