Charlie Forster appeared before Armidale Local Court on Monday on a charge of habitually consorting with convicted offenders after being warned but the matter was adjourned until October, after a judgement is delivered in the challenge. 

Forster, then 21, made headlines in June 2012 as the first person in the state to be convicted under tough new bikie consorting laws in Inverell Local Court.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, with a nine-month non-parole period. 

But Forster successfully had the conviction quashed in Armidale District Court on August 13, 2012, withdrawing his guilty plea.  

Now he awaits the outcome of a High Court challenge alongside Nomads gang boss Sleiman Tajjour and another bikie, Justin Hawthorne. 

Their challenge argues the laws in section 93X of the Crimes Act infringe on people’s right to communicate on political and government matters.  

The laws, aimed at cracking down on organised crime, made it illegal to consort with at least two convicted offenders on at least two occasions after receiving a warning.

Forster is seeking a declaration that section 93X is invalid and payment of his costs. 

The full bench of seven High Court judges heard the challenge on June 10 and 11, with the matter adjourned for three months while a decision is reached. 

In Armidale, Magistrate Karen Stafford said she would not undertake a hearing until the High Court challenge is finalised. 

“It’s such a large case, it will take some time,” she said. 

The matter was adjourned until October 13 in Armidale Local Court.