THE wife of a North Vancouver man who has links to the Hells Angels has been granted custody of their three children and primary residence in Squamish.
The couple, who cannot be identified because of a publication ban and are only referred to by initials in a court ruling, were married in 2003 but had a "tumultuous" relationship including a number of separations and reconciliations.
The husband, identified as T.T. in the B.C. Supreme Court ruling, owned and operated a motorcycle business in North Vancouver after receiving a $20,000 loan from his friend, J.B., the president of the East Vancouver chapter of the notorious motorcycle club.
T.T. and his brother, S.E.T., assembled custom motorcycles which were sold to charities for raffles, including the Firefighters Burn Fund.
The cost of the motorcycles to the charities ranged up to $100,000 and T.T. organized the raffles. While the business was "very profitable" for a number of years, T.T. closed it down at the end of 2008 due to a slowdown, the ruling released Monday notes.
During the divorce trial, which featured a selfrepresented T.T. - who was "very loud and demanding," - his wife, C.G., expressed concerns about his affiliations with the Hells Angels.
"T.T. denies being a member of that group," said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jenkins in his reasons for judgment granting C.G. custody of the kids. "However, there was considerable evidence of his affiliation with the Hells Angels, such as his close relationship with the leader of the East Vancouver chapter (evidenced by loans that J.B. has made to T.T.), his attendance at the East Vancouver chapter clubhouse, and his exhibiting signs of support for the organization on his motorcycle and his clothes."
The judge noted that in cross-examination, T.T. stated "my kids know J.B. - the kids call him uncle (J.) at the drag races - J.B. gave me $20,000 and told me 'this is for the kids.'
"T.T. certainly has connections to the Hells Angels and I can only conclude that it would not be in the best interests of any children to be associating with members of that organization, which appears to be the case here," said the judge.
Jenkins said it would be an "understatement" to say it had been a "very high conflict" court proceeding and noted several prior court orders, including an interim order prohibiting T.T. from molesting, harassing or communicating with C.G. or the children.
Jenkins however granted T.T. access to the children two weekends per month and based on an imputed income for him of $110,000, ordered him to pay $1,582 per month in spousal support and $2,088 per month in child support.
