It's a sad day when Melbourne is now known as the holiday destination of choice for Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs

Hells Angels, will ride into Melbourne on Saturday.Gang members are expected to party in the city's night precincts near where former member Christopher Hudson went on a shooting rampage in July 2007. Sources have told the Herald Sun up to 200 of the gang's members will be on the streets in its first show of force since Hudson shot three people, killing father of three Brendan Keilar. Bikies from NSW began arriving at a Preston hotel yesterday, ready for the event. Police Det-Supt Paul Hollowood said Angels East County branch sergeant-at-arms Peter Hewat had promised there would be no violence. Det-Supt Hollowood said it was not the main national run and a smaller convoy of riders was expected in the city. "If you're talking of numbers of upwards of 200, our understanding is it will be a run but not a large one," he said. "We are aware of what they are doing and where they are going.
"We have been given assurances it will be peaceful. It's during these runs that bikie groups behave at their best." He confirmed police would not be giving gang members an escort into the city, as the force did in October when the Bandidos rode in convoy from Geelong to the CBD. It's expected bikies will ride from the East County chapter in Craigieburn, around the peninsula and into the city. Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard, who was one of three people shot during Hudson's shooting rampage at the corner of William St and Flinders Lane in 2007, said he was not opposed to bikies descending on the city. "I know a lot of Australians must hate bikies because of what they do," he said. "But I know it was Chris Hudson who was the one who did it." Jim Douglas, the father of shooting victim Kaera Douglas, also said he did not care where the bikies rode. It is expected the gang will hit bars and strip clubs in the CBD but it is not known if they have booked a hotel in the city. It is also not known if any surveillance will be in place. Police Association secretary Greg Davies, who is opposed to police escorts for bikies, said large numbers of bikies were an intimidating sight. "It's a sad day when Melbourne is now known as the holiday destination of choice for Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs," he said. "When the Hells Angels are given the keys to the city, just like their adversaries the Bandidos, you don't know what to expect. "An increased police presence is absolutely necessary. Whether numbers are available is another question. "We can only hope the police force has used all their intelligence resources to be ready for any eventuality that may arise." Bikie violence has escalated in the past three years. In the latest turf war break-out, Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand was shot dead outside their Geelong clubhouse last October 22. Three men have been charged with murder. The Angels are probably the most commercial outlaw bikie outfit in the world. They are widely credited with bringing amphetamines to Australia after Angel Peter John Hill brought back the recipe from club counterparts in Oakland, California, in the 1980s.

Life sentence for Christopher Wayne Hudson will spend at least 35 years behind bars

Christopher Wayne .
As Hudson was led to the dock before sentencing, three Hells Angels and another three men who also appeared to be bikies stood up and placed clenched fists to their hearts.Last year Hudson shot dead father-of-three and lawyer Brendan Keilar, 43 and critically injured Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard as both men went to the aid of Hudson's former girlfriend, Kaera Douglas during the peak-hour morning shooting in Melbourne on June 18.Hudson also shot Douglas in the stomach and then ran off.
Hudson, 30, pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Keilar and attempting to murder Mr de Waard and Ms Douglas.He also pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury to Autumn Daly-Holt, a stripper at the Spearmint Rhino club in King Street where he had spent the previous night.Hudson pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of an unauthorised firearm after a wild night with Collingwood footballer Alan Didak on June 12, during which he fired shots from his car as they drove to the Hells Angels' Campbellfield clubrooms.At a pre-sentence hearing, Phil Priest, QC, said his client was high on a cocktail of the drug ice, alcohol and steroids at the time of the city shootings.
He said the Hells Angels bikie carried a gun for self-defence after defecting from a rival motorbike gang and had been shot in the face and stabbed in the back at a kickboxing match in 2006.Shocked CBD workers watched Hudson calmly and deliberately gun down Mr Keilar and Mr de Waard and fire more shots at the men as they lay wounded on the ground.Tram passengers told police they watched Hudson walk away, put the gun to his jaw and then shake his head and put the weapon down his pants.Hudson was on the run for two days before handing himself in at Wallan police station.
Christopher Wayne Hudson opened fire on two members of the public during the morning peak hour in Melbourne on June 18th 2007.The bikie gang member had been involved in an altercation with his then girlfriend Kaera Douglas.Two members of the public, 43-year-old father of three Brendan Keilar and backpacker Paul de Waard approached Hudson while he attempted to drag Ms Douglas from a taxi by her hair.Hudson then pulled out a handgun and shot both men.Brendan Keilar died from at least three shot wounds while Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard suffered injuries from bullet wounds.Ms Douglas was also shot in the stomach.Hudson pleaded guilty to the murder of Mr Keilar and the attempted murder of Me De Waard and Ms Douglas.Justice Paul Coghlan sentenced Hudson to 35-years in jail for his unprovoked crime.The 30-year-old will be eligible to leave prison at the age of 65.Following the shooting, Hudson had led police on a two-day run while he attempted to escape the charges.Three members of the Hells Angel bikie gang were in attendance at the court today.Some members of the gang are alleged to have assisted Hudson in attempting to remove tattoos before he was caught by police.