A former Rebels bikie murdered a rival Bandido in a "ridiculous" act of retaliation over a fight that had nothing to do with him, a judge says.
Ross Brand, 51, was killed when John Russell Bedson, 27, fired at least six shots into the Geelong clubhouse of the Bandidos motorcycle club on October 22, 2008.
A second man, Paul Szerwinski, was injured after being shot in the wrist and upper thigh.
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Neither Bedson nor his victims had any involvement in a fight that sparked the shooting, the Victorian Supreme Court heard on Thursday.
The fight at the Geelong Cup races earlier that day was between a man nominated to become a Bandido and a man from a second motorcycle club Bedson was involved with, Death Before Dishonour (DBD).
Bedson's brother Derek, who did not witness the fight, became incensed when he heard that the DBD member had been arrested and the Bandido wasn't, the court heard.
John Bedson was not at the races but the brothers later agreed to shoot up the Bandido clubhouse.
On Thursday, Justice Elizabeth Curtain said John Bedson had no business being involved in the fight.
"He acted on this day because he perceived retaliation was necessary," she said.
"Given the consequences, that was a totally ridiculous proposition.
"The reality is in truth it was never his fight, were it not for his association with the Rebels and Death Before Dishonour."
Justice Curtain said the tragedy of the case was that his victim also had nothing to do with the fight at the races.
"He went and shot at people who themselves had nothing to do with it at all," she said.
"If it weren't so tragic it would be utterly ridiculous."
Justice Curtain said if not for the angry response of Derek Bedson, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, the shooting would not have happened.
Derek Bedson's lawyer, Peter Chadwick, SC, said his client was intoxicated after drinking all day at the races and became angry after hearing about the fight.
John Bedson's lawyer Ian Hayden said his client had ended his association with both motorcycle gangs and had made inquiries about having a DBD tattoo on his cheek removed, but was told this could not happen in jail.
He said his client was remorseful for the killing and had acted out of "misguided loyalty".
The pre-sentence hearing will continue at a later date.
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