A court case has shed light on the hidden workings of the Hells Angels bikie gang in Adelaide, including the ways it initiates new members and works to corrupt individuals within law enforcement agencies.

Key points: There are three Hells Angels chapters in SA — Adelaide, North Crew and Dead End Crew

There are three Hells Angels chapters in SA — Adelaide, North Crew and Dead End Crew The gang has three ranks and actively gathers intelligence about its rivals

The gang has three ranks and actively gathers intelligence about its rivals The revelations were contained in documents about a case involving a prison officer

The revelations are included in District Court documents that relate to the case of corrupt prison officer Kim Marie Graham.

Prosecutors set out to prove her crimes were aggravated because she was leaking information to an outlaw bikie — Hells Angels prospective member Colin Andrew James Weetra.

But during the hearing Detective Sergeant Heath Lienert, of the Crime Gangs Task Force, was called to give evidence and detailed the Hells Angels history in South Australia and how the club is managed.

According to Detective Sergeant Lienert, club meetings are referred to as "church" and a strict code of silence applies.

He told the court that the Hells Angels emerged in the United States in the late 1940s and that the gang later spread to Australia, with the Adelaide chapter being established in 1983.

The North Crew was established in 1996 and the Dead End Crew started operating in South Australia a decade later, he said.

Counter-intelligence and corruption

Police outside the old Hells Angels premises at Mansfield Park in September 2013.

Sergeant Lienert told Judge Paul Slattery that there were 10 "characteristics" of the Hells Angels, including a code of silence, a culture and acceptance of violence and practices of intimidating police.

Counter-surveillance is conducted and intelligence gathered against police and rival gangs, and the gang cultivates and corrupts "contact persons within key agencies", he said.

"The expectation is that every member of the Hells Angels would become involved in a violent confrontation that other members are involved in," documents stated.

"Depending on the circumstances, there may be ramifications if those persons do not become involved.

"A meeting of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is referred to as 'church'.

"In 2017, for the Hells Angels North Crew, 'church' would occur weekly, normally on Friday nights."

But Sergeant Lienert said meetings had since been moved to different members' houses because of anti-bikie laws enacted in SA.

Gang hierarchy includes three ranks

Sergeant Lienert told the court that there were three ranks — a "hang around", "prospect" and "member".

He said for a person to become a member, they were first given the title of "hang around" and needed to become sponsored by a fully patched member.

"The gang would then vote, and if a 75 per cent approval vote is obtained, he would then become a 'prospect' for the gang," documents stated.

"Before becoming a 'prospect', a person's history would need to be fully traceable."

Sergeant Lienert told the court that "prospects" stayed in that position for 12 months and needed to obtain a 100 per cent vote to become a member.

"Full members are also entitled to have tattoos which say 'Hells Angels' and 'Death Head' which must be removed if they leave the gang in bad standing," he told the court.

"If they leave the gang in good standing, there would be an out-date tattoo."

Weetra defected from Rebels, prosecutors say

The court was told that police have records of Weetra being a member of the Rebels Motorcycle Gang from 2011 to 2016.

"In relation to the Hells Angels, Mr Weetra first came to the notice of police in February 2017, when police stopped him en route to a Hells Angels event being held in Mildura, Victoria," Judge Slattery said in his judgment.

The Hells Angels outlaw bikie gang members have to spend 12 months as a "prospect". ( AAP )

He said in May 2017, Weetra was seen carrying a vest indicating he was a North Crew prospect.

Judge Slattery found that Graham was aware of Weetra's association with the gang because she received texts about getting "drawn in" to the club, and "HA chicks" at her house.

He found one corruption offence — committed in March 2017 — to be aggravated, but a second offence committed the next month was not aggravated because prosecutors failed to prove Weetra was still associated with the club.

Last year, Graham pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to act honestly in the performance of her duties as a public sector employee, while Weetra pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting.

They will be sentenced at a later date.