Stockton shooting murder: former bikie's drug supply charges now more than 100

LINKED: Detectives seized a vehicle allegedly used in the shooting at Waratah last month. Former high-ranking bikie Stephen John Garland has now been charged with more than 100 drug supply offences.

A former high-ranking member of the Newcastle Nomads arrested by detectives investigating the execution-style murder of Stockton swimming teacher Stacey Klimovitch has now been charged with more than 100 drug supply offences.

Stephen John Garland, 64, the former national office bearer of the gang, appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday now charged with 106 offences, including four counts of supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis.

Mr Garland has not been charged over the murder of Mrs Klimovitch, 61, who was shot in the chest point blank with a 12 gauge shotgun when she answered the door to her Queen Street home about 8pm on June 9.

But detectives believe he was the man who drove accused Canberra hitman Jason Paul Hawkins from Heddon Greta to Stockton on the night Mrs Klimovitch was killed.

MISSED: Stacey Klimovitch was a much-loved swimming teacher. She was shot dead when she answered her front door in Queen Street, Stockton in June.

Mr Garland then waited in the car in nearby Crown Street during the shooting before allegedly driving the gunman to a house at Argenton. Detectives allege Mr Garland was directed to drive Mr Hawkins to and from the murder scene by Stuart Daniel Campbell, 29, who they say orchestrated the murder plot and hired Mr Hawkins to kill Mrs Klimovitch, the mother of his ex-partner.

The Newcastle Herald previously reported that detectives allege Mr Campbell had become enraged by the 61-year-old's overprotective and dominant approach and saw her as a threat to a relationship with his infant son.

Mr Campbell and Mrs Klimovitch had a "mutual hatred" for each other, detectives allege, and the genesis for the alleged plot to kill Mrs Klimovitch seems to stem from a confrontation at a house in Argenton in March shortly after the baby was born. The pair argued and Mrs Klimovitch told Mr Campbell: "You're never going to know the baby. Your name's not even going to be on the birth certificate".

The argument escalated and Mrs Klimovitch struck Mr Campbell in the face, detectives allege.

Strike Force Backhouse detectives arrested Mr Garland at a house at Waratah on November 25 and seized his Holden Commodore.

He was later charged with 22 drug supply charges and refused bail. Those charges had ballooned to more than 100 counts by Thursday.