Prosecutors offered no evidence against alleged Mongols bikies James Cleave, Leslie Markham and Bradley Baker who were arrested in November 2013

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Queensland police have dropped the case against the first three men charged under the state’s controversial anti-association laws.

Prosecutors offered no evidence against alleged Mongols bikies James Cleave, Leslie Markham and Bradley Baker on Wednesday. They were arrested in November 2013 for gathering in a group of three or more at the Palazzo Versace hotel on the Gold Coast.

“They were lawfully there, they spent the night in the accommodation – which was lawful,” their solicitor, Michael Gatenby, told ABC radio on Thursday.

Vlad anti-bikie laws criticised for absurd name and attack on judges Read more

“When they attempted to pay the bill, regrettably, the third person came over to check the bill and that’s when [the prosecutors claimed] their conduct became unlawful.”

Queensland’s Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act was introduced in 2013 by the former Newman government in response to a brawl outside a Surfers Paradise restaurant.

The laws made it illegal for bikies to wear club insignia in public, use clubhouses and gather in a group of three or more.

It mandated higher minimum sentences for any office bearer found guilty of serious crimes, such as drug trafficking, and reversed the expectation that bail would be granted to accused bikies unless opposed.

The laws were criticised by civil libertarians as draconian and stirred up outrage by recreational motorcyclist groups.

A high court challenge to the act mounted by 17 motorcycle groups was struck out in November 2014.

The Palaszczuk government is conducting an inquiry into the effectiveness of the legislation and a report is expected at the end of the year.