Bikie's apology meaningless: coroner

A former bikie's apology to the family of a man he killed has been dismissed as meaningless by the Northern Territory's Coroner.

Former Hells Angel Nicholas "Shonky" Cassidy is serving a two-year sentence for perverting the course of justice after accidentally hitting Levi Griffiths, 25, in the early hours of June 4, 2011.

A legal loophole prevented him from being tried for the killing, but he was found guilty of covering it up.

Appearing at the inquest on Thursday, he refused to give evidence on the grounds that he might incriminate himself.

"I'm sorry, sorry for this horrendous case, for the media, for what my family has gone through, I'm sorry for your illness," he said to Mr Griffith's terminally-ill mother, Kathy.

"Despite your opening fine words, you don't wish to help us," Coroner Greg Cavanagh said.

"I don't think your words of apology mean much at all."

Mr Cavanagh said the refusal of Hells Angels members and associates to co-operate with the inquest - two as hostile witnesses and others who failed to turn up at all - had left the family in a state of continuing grief.

Counsel assisting the coroner Dr Peggy Dwyer condemned as "absolute cowardice" the behaviour of senior Hells Angels members Jamie Schmitt and Mark Simpson.

She singled Simpson out as most contemptible for driving Cassidy past the body, and later being recorded by a police bug joking and laughing about it in a "gutless and insensitive" manner.

The court heard Cassidy was extremely drunk when he hit Mr Griffiths, but there was insufficient evidence at his 2013 trial for the judge to rule on how drunk he was.

He was in violation of his parole at the time.

Outside court, Levi's grandmother said she felt let down by the system.

"You don't just go out and kill somebody and walk away free," she said.

Cassidy is eligible for parole in less than two weeks.

Mr Cavanagh will hand down his findings later this month.