Bikie David Pye cops life behind bars for sniper murder of rival Nick Martin

Pye hired ex-army reservist Benjamin Luke Johnston to carry out the execution in front of a packed crowd at the popular race track.

Johnston fired a single shot at 365 yards from a .308-caliber rifle, which struck Martin in the chest, causing him to exclaim, “I’ve been shot.”

The bullet passed through the 51-year-old’s back and struck his son-in-law, Ricky Chapman, in the left leg before hitting his arm.

Martin died in hospital, but his son-in-law survived.

There were about 2,000 people at the event and a five-year-old child sat behind Martin.

Pye, a former butcher and tattoo artist, later sent the gunman a message consisting of two coffin emojis and a hand clapping emoji.

“One death, one serious,” he said.

Judge Joseph McGrath said the murder was premeditated and well thought out.

“You were the architect,” he told Pye.

Pye’s relationship with Martin deteriorated when the pair fell out over the dead man’s leadership.

Pye defected from the rebels to the Comancheros and later joined the Mongols, where he remains a member.

“Your motive for killing Mr. Martin was your hatred of him,” McGrath said.

“You decided the way to resolve your disagreement was to kill him.”

Pye promised Johnston $150,000 to carry out the attack on his former ally, but paid only $100,000.

The gunman was paid $10,000 to conduct reconnaissance on Martin, who was tracked to his home and flown a drone over the property.

He visited Perth Motorplex twice.

McGrath said that by paying Johnston for the murder, Pye was placing a monetary value on a human life.

“A contract killing amounts to an unlawful public execution,” he said.

In sentencing, McGrath said Pye was unrepentant and continued to deny involvement in the murder despite being convicted.

He and Johnston were equally criminally responsible, but the gunman admitted his crime and cooperated with police, he said.

“You have been convicted of the most heinous murder,” he said.

“Your transgression was not merely an encouragement; you hired Mr. Johnston to kill Mr. Martin.”

Pye was convicted of six offences, including bodily harm to Chapman and attempting to hire Johnston to kill his ex-girlfriend and Comanchero boss Raymond Cilli, who lived in Thailand.

The additional murders never occurred and the sentences for the additional crimes will be served concurrently with his life sentence.

Outside court, Pye’s lawyer Paul Holmes said the motorcyclist would appeal the convictions.

Johnston was also convicted of Martin’s murder and is serving 18 years after receiving a significant sentence reduction in exchange for his cooperation.

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