Days after he was given a summons by police to attend court this month, Nomads member James Quinnell opened up his phone and recorded a video.
"All you f---ing Fink dogs, you f---ing maggot scumbag pieces of f---ing shit, bring it on ya f---ing dogs, youse are nothing but f---ing Fink dogs ay," a fired-up Quinnell said, in a performance posted to Instagram.
It was the latest salvo in 12 months of "open warfare" between the Newcastle chapters of the Finks and the Nomads, who police allege are locked in a bitter and escalating turf war that has led to physical fights, shootings and arson attacks.
Bradley Bowtell, the president of the Newcastle City chapter of the Nomads, said he did not think it was in his power to stop the conflict.Credit:AAP
On Thursday, the video was played in the Supreme Court in Sydney, as police sought to urgently impose strict conditions on Quinnell, the sergeant-at-arms of the Newcastle chapter, fellow Nomad Blake Kevin Martin, and senior Nomads Bradley Bowtell, Dylan Patrick Britliffe, and Kane Benjamin Tamplin.
In documents tendered to the court, police from Strike Force Raptor, part of the police gangs squad, said the conflict between the Nomads and the Finks had been "ongoing and escalating" since October 2016, when a close associate of Martin and Tamplin defected to the Finks.
However, the conflict has ramped up in the last three months, with police now describing it as an "emergency" in which "the next shooting is imminent".
Dylan Patrick Brittliffe, the national president of the Nomads, leaves court.Credit:AAP
Police tendered to the court a long list of incidents between the Finks and the Nomads, ranging from the trivial - a Fink and a Nomad both going to the same barbershop and having a fight outside - to firebombings on buildings where people were inside and homes being sprayed with bullets by high-powered weapons.
In the most recent incident on March 3, the Thornton home of a Finks member was shot at multiple times, with one bullet hitting a man in the leg as he jumped up from a couch inside.
Such incidents used to occur once a fortnight, according to police, but have now escalated to the point where there are three attacks per week.
Blake Kevin Martin said there is a "disagreement" with the Finks.Credit:AAP
In response, police have sought to impose a serious crime prevention order on the five men, the first application of its kind brought to court in NSW.
If the application is successful, the men would be banned from approaching or contacting any member of any motorcycle gang; attending any licensed hotel, pub, club or bar; travelling in any vehicle from 9pm to 6am; going to any location where any motorcycle gang member would be; and using encrypted communications like Wickr, Snapchat or WhatsApp.
Kane Benjamin Tamplin, sergeant-at-arms of the Newcastle City chapter of the Nomads.Credit:AAP
They will also be restricted from owning more than one mobile phone, must produce their phone and passwords to police upon request, and will not be allowed to wear or display any Nomads insignia or patches.
Mark Tedeschi QC, representing the police, said officers were seeking "identical" orders against five members of the Finks. He unsuccessfully requested the Nomads orders be put in place immediately to "provide a degree of protection to the public over the Easter long weekend".
“We are speaking here about tribal warfare in the midst of our civilised society," Mr Tedeschi said.
“It’s intolerable that this open warfare should be allowed to flourish.”
Barrister Robert Cavanagh, representing the men, said the "punishing" and "shackling" conditions were "inhumane" and would cause some of the men who did shiftwork to put their jobs in jeopardy.
"There is, in my respectful submission, no urgency whatsoever to protect the public from these defendants," Dr Cavanagh said.
"They come before you showing respect. That’s not an outlaw gang mentality."
Blake Kevin Martin pleaded guilty to affray after attacking a member of the Finks at Anytime Fitness in Kotara.
All five men denied there was a war with the Finks, however Justice David Davies labelled parts of their evidence - including that they didn't know the rules of their own club - "frankly unbelievable".
Mr Bowtell, the president of the Newcastle City chapter of the Nomads, said he met frequently with police, including most recently on March 20 where he said he would "try and assist" with stopping the violence.
Under cross-examination, he said he did not think it was in his power to stop the conflict.
"In my opinion it was more of the Finks attacking us," Bowtell said. "I think you’ll find ... we were under attack."
Martin, a junior member of the club, admitted he had attacked a member of the Finks with Quinnell at the Anytime Fitness gym in Kotara last year. He was charged with affray, an offence to which he has pleaded guilty.
However, he denied there was "open warfare" between his club and the Finks, saying it is just a "disagreement". Vision of the attack was played to the court, showing Mr Martin walking up behind the victim, who was using an elliptical machine, and repeatedly swinging a metal bar at him.
Mr Martin said he did "not wish to comment" on the reason for the attack.
When asked about his Instagram video, Quinnell said he was not sure what he meant by "bring it on" and denied he was encouraging violence.
Justice Davies said he would need time to consider the verdict and reserved his decision.
Georgina Mitchell is a court reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.