Koby Abberton debuted his determination to succeed in the special forces course when SAS Australia 2021 premiered on September 13, but a few fans of the show were left scratching their heads wondering who the pro surfer and Bra Boy gang member is, as well as his three brothers, who he mentioned during the first episode.
The Abberton brothers — Jai, Sunny, Koby and Dakota — are founding members of the notorious surfer gang the Bra Boys, hailing from Maroubra, Sydney. Together, they have a mile-long rap sheet after embroiling themselves in countless criminal situations over the years, rising to local prominence due to their involvement in the death of standover man Tony Hines.
So, who are SAS Australia 2021 recruit Koby’s brothers?
Jai Abberton
The oldest of the Abberton brothers, Jai found himself at the centre of Tony Hines’ murder in 2003 after shooting the standover man several times in the head before throwing him off a Maroubra cliff where his body was later found, naked. Jai admitted to the crime almost immediately after the body was found, and remained in custody for 21 months before a jury acquitted him of the charges after only 90 minutes of deliberation on the grounds that the then-29-year-old was acting in self-defence. Koby also received a nine-month suspended sentence in relation to the same event, after he was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Most recently in February 2021, Jai pleaded guilty to throwing rocks at a man with ex-lover Kirri Angus, who allegedly threatened the victim with a taser. He told the court that his long criminal history was related to his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which he is seeking professional help for.
‘My record is atrocious … But I have remained pretty much out of trouble since 2012,’ he told the court, referring to his nine-month jail stint after assaulting police in Byron Bay. He has also recently found faith and embraced the Islamic religion.
Sunny Abberton
Sunny took on a different career path after parting with professional surfing, having since become a successful documentary filmmaker. The 47-year-old recognised the potential to capitalise on the Bra Boys’ notoriety which lead him to writing and co-directing the feature-length film Bra Boys: Blood is Thicker Than Water, alongside fellow gang member Macario De Souza.
Hollywood star and homegrown talent Russell Crowe narrated the 2007 award-winning doco, which also featured world champion surfer Kelly Slater and 49 well-known surfers from the Bra Boys gang.
Sunny has since remained involved in the filmmaking industry, having appeared in the 2013 documentary Hoones, which also featured Khloe Kardashian.
Dakota Abberton
Despite being the youngest Abberton brother by several years, Dakota hasn’t escaped the bad reputation that comes with being a Bra Boy, nor has he distanced himself from partaking in criminal acts. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, reckless wounding in company and damaging property after he was involved in an attack that left a Sydney woman partially blind.
Since then, Dakota has maintained a low profile after avoiding jail time for his part in the blinding attack.
Want to learn more about Koby Abberton and his brothers? Tune in to SAS Australia on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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