Glenn Williams fronts court over burglaries and theft of firearms

A Melbourne dad scouted in his teens to play in the English Premier League stole from his former employer and pawned the items to buy ice.

Melbourne dad Glenn Williams broke into and stole from his former boss’ workplace and home to fund his ice addiction.

A one-time English Premier League hopeful stole from his old workplace to fund his ice addiction and nicked guns from his former boss’ house during a wild crime spree.

Glenn Williams used his father’s Hyundai when he broke into bathroom supply business Oscar and Co in Deepdene and stole $34,407 worth of items including power tools, laptop computers, mobile phones, and alcohol in the early hours of December 17, 2023.

Williams, 40, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to three years’ jail on charges of burglary, theft, theft of firearm and obtaining property by deception.

Judge Mark Gamble said Williams’ family moved to England when he was 13 after he was scouted to play in the EPL.

That dream was dashed when Williams suffered a serious knee injury at the age of 17 and his family returned to Melbourne.

Judge Gamble said since Williams’ family home had been sold, his wife and sons would have to return to England to stay with his in-laws for the duration of his prison sentence.

Glenn Williams was scouted to play in the English Premier League but a serious knee injury dashed his football dream.

The judge said Williams targeted Oscar and Co where he worked in 2018, just two to three months after being sentenced to a community corrections order on charges including committing an offence while on bail and retaining stolen goods.

A month after breaking into Oscar and Co, Judge Gamble said Williams burgled the home of the business owner Mark Van Keeken in Mooroolbark and stole a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22 rifle.

He also stole various items including a chainsaw, a hedge trimmer, car keys and fishing equipment.

Police recovered some stolen items from his home while Williams pawned the chainsaw and hedge trimmer at Ferntree Gully Cash Converters for $500.

As a result of the burglaries, Judge Gamble said Mr Van Keeken had become untrusting, and hypervigilant and had trouble sleeping.

He has installed additional security measures and felt vulnerable since the firearms have not been located, he said.

Judge Gamble said Williams appeared in court on three occasions between September 2022 and October 23 and received non custodial sentences for charges including possession of meth.

Williams will be eligible for parole after serving 18 months.