Gangster used standover tactics to demand cash and motorcycle after car crash

Rebels MC member Dallas James Peeti demanded money from two men and a dirt bike following a car crash, the Whanganui District Court has heard.

A patched Rebels MC gang member told two men they each owed the club $1000 and ordered one of them to surrender his dirt bike following a car crash with other members of the club.

In September 2021, a few days after the crash, Dallas Peeti, along with three other members or prospects from the gang, went to the victim’s home in Marton, the Crown summary of facts says.

Peeti demanded the men pay the cash within a month, and told one of them his dirt bike now belonged to the gang.

Later that night, three gang members returned to the address, telling the victim they had come for the motorcycle, which he allowed them to take.

In November, 2020, Peeti was one of a group of five Rebels gang members, some armed with metal bars, who went to an address in Marton to take back a Holden Commodore.

Two of the group confronted the victim - who was with her two-week-old baby - in her Land Rover and used the weapons to smash panels on the vehicle, causing $1000 in damage, before she reversed down the driveway and fled the scene.

On Monday, Peeti appeared before Judge Ian Carter in the Whanganui District Court charged with demanding with menaces and intentional damage.

Peeti pleaded guilty to the offending after being given a sentencing indication in September.

A charge of participating in an organised criminal group was withdrawn by Crown prosecutor Nandini Turner.

Judge Carter said there had been an escalation in tensions between the Rangitīkei chapter of the Rebels and the family of the men involved in the car crash in the months leading up to Peeti’s standover tactics.

He said Peeti’s gang connections were a significant aggravating factor in both crimes because of the intimidation element of the charge.

“[He] did not want to pay but allegedly felt he had no choice due to an earlier incident involving a gun when he was dealing with gang members.

“You told the complainants that they owed the Rebels a dirt bike and $1,000 because of the previous collision, and the demand was backed up by the fact that there were three other gang members or prospects who picked up the dirt bike later in the evening.

Judge Carter said he couldn’t take into account the effect the standover tactics had on the men because they had not made victim impact statements, but did note it was part of an increase in tension that led to more serious alleged offending.

He adopted a sentencing start point of sixteen-and-a-half months’ imprisonment, but then allowed a 20 per cent discount for Peeti’s personal circumstances and a further five per cent for remorse.

Peeti was also given credit for the 45 days he spent in custody and the lengthy time on electronically monitored bail, which reduced the sentence to two months’ imprisonment.

Judge Carter then converted the sentence to two months’ community detention and six months’ supervision.

Peeti was also ordered to pay $200 reparation to the victim of the intentional damage.