Ex-bikie wife was 'in the dark' over illegal activity

Rachel Ciano gave evidence in her late husband's murder trial at Sydney's Darlinghurst Supreme Court on Monday.

John Tozer, 38, and Daniel Bushell, 49, have both pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Ciano in 2017.

The court heard Ms Ciano's father was a senior member of the Queensland Police Force, which her bikie husband was aware of.

Ms Ciano, who was three months' pregnant when her husband died, said she assumed he had the means to support their lifestyle, which included a planned shopping trip in Dubai and spending around $20,000 a month on food and clothing.

"Ricky paid for everything," Ms Ciano told the court.

Tozer's barrister Avni Djemal asked Ms Ciano where she thought the income that supported the couple, neither of whom held regular jobs, came from.

"My understanding was the majority of the income came from illegal activities," Ms Ciano said.

While the couple were together, Mr Ciano became president of the Gold Coast chapter of the Rebels, the court was told, which Ms Ciano claimed not to have known about.

She admitted being aware of $39,500 stashed at their Gold Coast apartment. Police seized it in 2014 along with a set of scales covered in cocaine residue.

Mr Djemal asked Ms Ciano if she was comfortable being "in the dark" as to her husband's activities.

"Yes," she replied.

Mr Ciano's history of drug use was probed, including having at one stage being a regular user of steroids and painkillers.

"I saw him use steroids before. He would inject into his bottom," Ms Ciano told the court.

"I did know he had taken cocaine and MDMA or whatever at a festival."

He stopped using steroids prior to the couple commencing IVF for health and fertility reasons, she told the court.

Ms Ciano said her husband had abused steroids for years prior to 2017.

She also told police he had one stage he had been taking Targin tablets, a brand of the heavy painkiller oxycodone, around once a day.

Australian Associated Press