Prisoner poses no threat: DCS

The Department of Corrective Services says a former senior Rock Machine bikie allowed to play football as part of a Pardelup Prison Farm rehabilitation program does not pose a threat to the community, despite being jailed for making a death threat last year.

Brent Reker, a former sergeant-of-arms of the Rock Machine bikie gang, is one of seven inmates from the minimum security correctional facility playing football for the Mt Barker Football Club, as part of a supervised arrangement which has been in place for the past three seasons.

The arrangement between the club and the Department of Corrective Services was established in 2010 as a stop-gap measure to address a player shortage.

Reker was jailed for three years in 2012 as part of an extortion attempt where he demanded two teenagers pay him $2000 or record themselves bashing their friend, after they were accused of spreading rumours about their association with the gang.

A Perth jury was told at the time Reker had issued a death threat to one of the teenagers if they went to police.

A department spokeswoman said this week many of the prisoners given the privilege to play had demonstrated good behaviour before being released back into the community in the near future.

“Prisoners wanting to play football are subject to a risk assessment based on potential risk to the safety of the community and the prisoner’s ability to take part in the activity,” she said.

Mt Barker club president Bradley Hook said Reker had “fitted in well” with the other players.

“He looks really intimidating, but he is actually a really nice guy despite a bit of white line fever,” he said.

“We try and not talk to them about why they are in jail and we try and treat them like normal people.”

The Pardelup players have been well-behaved in the first two rounds of the season, with no on-field reports made.

“They are a great bunch of guys who really like their footy,” Mr Hook said.