A cycling boss has admitted his involvement in the extortion of a woman who owned a gym company with a former rugby league player.
Ian Ronald Crowden is already serving an 11-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court last year to “a range of crimes” dating back to 2014.
The 49-year-old was convicted in the Brisbane District Court on Friday of blackmailing a woman to take over ownership of the gym.
The woman had dated and owned a gym with Anthony ‘Chook’ Fowler, who had a brief NSWRL career with the now defunct Gold Coast Seagulls in 1994.
A woman who had dated and owned a gym with Anthony ‘Chook’ Fowler (pictured) had her father approached by bicycle after the couple’s relationship ended
After the couple’s relationship ended, members of the motorcycle club went to the woman’s father’s home, wearing black tracksuits and hats, telling her to “hand over the company to Chook,” according to court filings documents.
Fowler enlisted Crowden, who did not engage in the actual threats but implicated others in the extortion, Judge Brad Farr said.
‘The aim was to gain an advantage for yourself, namely a directorship of the company in question.’
It was done through fear, intimidation and threats, with Crowden ‘well involved’ and party to the abuse of others.
Last year, Crowden pleaded guilty to, among other things, drug trafficking and an attack, together with others, on a fellow gang member who gave a statement to the police.
After the man was punched and kicked about 50 times, causing him to lose consciousness, Crowden picked up a hammer, hitting his hand about three times and then hitting his legs, court documents show.
Members of the Bikie club went to the woman’s father’s home, dressed in black tracksuits and hats, to tell her to “hand the company over to Chook” (pictured, Anthony Fowler), court documents say
During another attack, Crowden broke a plastic chair by slamming it into the gang member’s ribs.
Judge Farr sentenced Crowden on Friday to two years in prison for racketeering, cumulative to the sentence he is already serving.
The court heard Crowden used illegal steroids for decades and worked in a crematorium and funeral parlors, exposing him to traumatic experiences.
He will be eligible for parole in June 2027.
Fowler was sentenced last year to six years in prison after pleading guilty to racketeering and other charges.