Swiss court delivers long prison term for former Hells Angel

A Swiss court in Basel has sentenced a former member of the Hells Angels motorbike club and criminal gang to 12 years and 10 months in prison.

The 36-year-old Turkish national was convicted of rape, sexual acts with a minor and money-laundering, and was sentenced on Thursday.

Born in Basel, the man is said to have been a high-ranking member of the club in Germany and Turkey. He was also banned from the country for 14 years. The judgement is not yet final.

The judge said that the defendant had given the impression on social media that he was living a life of luxury, according to reports from Thursday's sentencing session.

"Delinquency has also enabled your luxury, which you reflect on social media," the Swiss daily Blick quoted the judge as saying.

"You would never have been able to afford this lifestyle otherwise," the judge asserted.

Contacts with celebrities came up several times during the trial.

The court found that he had forced a 14-year-old girl to perform sexual acts and then pressured her with threats to keep her silent.

According to the indictment, the man, who has several previous convictions, is also alleged to have been involved in investment fraud totalling €3.6 million ($3.9 million) in Germany. However, the Swiss court found that it did not have jurisdiction over this.